Prison Officer’s leaders: the Government must introduce a second Employment Rights Bill

Prison Officer Association (POA) leaders are calling on the UK’s Labour Government to bring in a 2nd Employment Rights Bill.

The call comes just a few months after the UK Government’s flagship Employment Rights Bill 2025 passed into legislation. Whilst the Bill, which has been described as “the greatest improvement in workers’ rights in a generation”, will bring in a suite of positive changes, POA General Secretary, Steve Gillan believes another Bill is required to deliver fundamental rights for all workers. The POA’s key demand is for the 2nd bill to reinstate the right to strike for Prison Officers.

In 1994 the right to strike for Prison Officers was removed by the Tory Government during the passage of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act. Subsequently, the Blair Government committed to reinstating the right to strike in England and Wales but failed to follow through on this pledge when in office. The Scottish Government reinstated the right in 2015 and not a single day has been lost to strike action since.

Commenting, POA General Secretary Steve Gillan said:

Banning the “Right to Strike” is the action of repressive and totalitarian regimes. Britain is supposed to be a democracy – that should include industrial democracy and universal human rights; the right to withdraw one’s labour is a fundamental human right recognised by the International Labour Organisation, it is used as a last resort when all other avenues have been exhausted.

Prison Officers are working in one of the most hostile and dangerous working environments there is. This is being fuelled by overcrowding, understaffing, drugs and contraband entering Prisons and decades of underfunding of the Justice System. It is an affront to these committed public servants that they have been singled out and discriminated against. We need a 2nd Employment Rights Bill.

The POA’s National Chair Mark Fairhurst also commented:

Labours integrity as a Government must be called into question in relation to their manifesto pledge to eradicate anti trade union legislation. Prison Officers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have zero industrial rights because of the most pernicious piece of anti trade union legislation ever drafted. It is shameful that a party born out of the trade union movement continues to restrict the most basic human rights of my members in their workplaces. Restore our right to strike now!