Ford prison officers on strike

The strike followed a ballot of the Prison Officers' Association's 28,000 mebers in public and private jails, who voted by more than six to one in favour of industrial action up to and including a strike, in protest at the government's pay offer.

Early yesterday afternoon, no pickets were on duty, though it is understood that the 100 Prison Officers Association (POA) members at Ford were instructed by the union to leave their posts in a dispute over pay.

Neither Ford management nor the Ministry of Justice would confirm how many officers took part in the action.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said: "The Prison Service is well prepared for such contingencies and has well-rehearsed methods for dealing with such eventualities. There is no risk to the safe runnning and good order of prisons."

The strike, which started at 7am, was expected to last at least 24 hours, but just after midday yesterday the ministry obtained a court injunction against it.

The POA's ballot was over a pay increase of 2.5 per cent, recommended by an independent pay review body, which the government said it would meet with a 1.5 per cent rise in April and 1 per cent in November. The union claimed that the increase would be below the inflation rate.