Prison chiefs demand Straw meeting

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The executive of the Prison Officers' Association (POA) said they wanted a chance to persuaded Justice Secretary Jack Straw to change his mind over his announcement that industrial action is to be outlawed.

Chairman Colin Moses said the union was coming under strong pressure from its members to take some form of action.

More than 60 POA branches have called for a special conference to discuss the row.

"Feelings are running very high among prison officers," Mr Moses said.

He said POA members were feeling angry about the way the announcement had been made and the speed at which the Government had reached its decision.

Mr Moses said many POA members had said they were going to resign from the Labour Party as a result of the row.

POA leaders met MPs in Westminster asking for their support to persuade the Government not to press ahead with the ban and the union is hopeful that moves will be made in the House of Commons to call on the Government to change its position.

Messages of support have been sent to the POA from other unions, Mr Moses said, who added that his union believes the strike ban was the beginning of moves to introduce further privatisation into the prison service.