The POA podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

The Committee recently hosted it’s first gathering for Retired Members at the Cassa Club in Liverpool.  We hear from the national officials, committee members, retired members and guests who were there on the importance and value of such events, their hopes for the future and the importance of a just-launched retired members' survey - the QR code in the podcast logo will take you to the questionnaire. Original audio recording by Consequential Films. More information at https://www.poauk.org.uk/our-union/retired-members/

National Chair Mark Fairhurst gives a key update on the POA members' survey and prison overcrowding. More information at poauk.org.uk. Running time 11.45s

For better or worse, the private sector is now part of the landscape in the prison and custodial sector. 

The POA has a fast growing private sector membership and local officers who have to engage with a different breed of managers and employers.  In this episode we look at the work of the union’s Private Sector Consultative Committee and talk to reps about their experiences of dealing with Sodexo, Mitie, G4s and Serco. 

More information at www.poauk.org.uk

In this episode we meet the newly formed POA Committee at Manston Short-Term Holding facility and discuss the unique work of POA members at the juxtaposed sites in France.

Terry McCarthy is the member of the POA’s National Executive Committee who has lead responsibility for the union’s members who work in the YCS.  What he has to report may surprise or even shock POA members who have only worked in the adult sector. www.poauk.org.uk

HMPPS have recently issued mandatory new standards for First Aid at Work and Emergency First Aid at Work. In this Toolkit podcast, Deputy General Secretary Joe Simpson explains the background to the new standards, and the practical consequences of them. POA circular 078 of 2023 refers - you can access that here.

National Chair Mark Fairhurst on seeing the union's persistence on Fitness Tests yielding results, and the truth behind the HMP Wandsworth Independent Monitoring Board report. For information on all POA activity, visit www.poauk.org.uk

The union’s political activity is at the heart of this episode.  General Secretary Steve Gillan and Parliamentary Researcher Charley Allan discuss why political activity is unavoidable, how the union makes sure its voice is heard loudly in Parliament, and the importance of the union’s Political Fund.  More information at poauk.org.uk . Follow the union on Facebook and X

In this episode we are joined by former Prison Officer and POA rep, author Alex South.  Her book Behind These Doors detailing Alex’s 10 years in the prison service was published earlier this year to great acclaim from critics and readers.  Extracts were serialised in the Sunday Times and it was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week.

Alex’s writing journey was kick started when she entered and won the Beachmore Life Writing Competition with a piece that eventually became her book.   She also received the prestigious Winston Churchill fellowship which enabled her to study the treatment of prison staff in other countries.

Despite the Prison Service doing its best to keep Alex, with promotions and specialist training, the desperate under-resourcing of the service meant she eventually felt unable to continue in post.

Behind these Doors, stories of strength, suffering and survival in prison, by Alex South is published by Hodder and Stoughton and is also available as an audio book.  The recommendations and policy ideas discussed are, of course, Alex’s own thinking rather than POA policy.

For the latest union news, visit poauk.org.uk and you can also follow the union on social media.

Members in closed grades are being urged to seriously consider opting-in to the F&S structure.  In this special episode, DGS Joe Simpson, AGS Andy Baxter and NEC member Sarah Rigby (herself in an F&S grade) look at the facts of the matter, and dispel some of the misunderstandings that have surfaced.  There is a real decision for closed grade members to make and this podcast gives the facts members need to choose what is right for them.  More information from your branch committee or area NEC representative.