Prison officers move closer to accepting a deal

PRISON officers yesterday took a step closer to accepting a deal to end the long-running overtime dispute.

Almost three quarters of the 114 delegates of the Prison Officers' Association (POA) agreed to recommend the deal to its 3,000-plus members in a ballot.

The ballot, the second vote by members on the deal, is expected to take place within weeks, with a result by the middle of August.

The deal will replace the current overtime system, which cost the Prison Service €60 million in 2003 and €45m in 2004, with an annualised hours system.

This system commits the members to work up to seven hours overtime a week in return for an annual salary of between €45,000 and €69,000.

The deal was originally rejected by 70% of members in a ballot last April, despite a recommendation for acceptance from the POA national executive.

Among those who rejected the deal were members who did not want to work any overtime and those who would be losing out by having to work less overtime.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell said the deal was the result of independent arbitration and could not be renegotiated.

Subsequent discussions between the POA and Mr McDowell resulted in a "tweaked" proposal, slightly increasing the number of officers (10-13%) who could opt out of doing overtime.

Mr McDowell warned the POA that if they rejected this final offer he would immediately implement radical measures, including the privatising of the prisoner escort system, the removal of two institutions out of the Prison Service and comprehensive changes to rosters.

A special delegate conference of the POA was held yesterday to determine whether to reject the offer or put it to a ballot, and, if so, whether it should be recommended.

Following a three-hour debate, the delegates agreed to put it to ballot and voted 84 to 30 to recommend it to its members.

A POA statement said: "At a Special Delegate Conference in Lucan the Prison Officers' Association passed a motion to put a recently revised Proposal from management to its members with a recommendation for acceptance."

It added: "The revised Proposal from management, which has emerged from a proposal put to management by the Prison Officers' Association in June this year, reflects an adjustment in the bands of overtime to be worked but does not incur any additional cost to the State other than those agreed at the Labour Relations Commission and Arbitration Board earlier this year.

"The proposal also facilitates a greater number of Prison Officers who do not wish to work overtime."

One insider said he believed the members would accept the deal this time.

A spokesperson for Mr McDowell said the minister gave the decision a "cautious welcome" and hoped the membership could come to a "speedy decision" along the lines of the recommendation.