Issue 4|2016
Contents
The newsletter for PCS members working in the Ministry of Justice
HMCTS Reform3
Justice cuts4
Devolution of justice5
Tackling unconscious bias?6
Increased violence towards7
instructional officers
NBC reform8
The Transforming Justice paper
issued jointly in September 2016 by
the Lord Chancellor, Lord Chief
Justice and Senior President of
Tribunals represents an
unprecedented step which appears
to undermine the fundamental
principles of the separation of the
powers and judicial independence.
HMCTS has plans to introduce
changes by 2022 which will see
major job loss and further court
closures, the lessening of judicial
oversight, reliance on digital
solutions and a shift from the local
to centralised contact centres only
accessible via email or telephone.
Access to justice
PCS wants to see an HMCTS that is
fit for purpose in the 21st century
and will support changes which
improve the public service that our
members provide.
A combination of court closures,
the removal of eligibility of legal
aid for certain areas of civil law, the
introduction of employment
tribunal fees and a huge hike in
civil fees has removed access to
justice and fairness for huge
swathes of the population. Lord
Justice Thomas said earlier this
year “our justice system has
become unaffordable to most.”
If the authors of the paper were
committed to ensuring access to
justice and a truly just, proportionate
and accessible system a
commitment to removing these
detriments would be made and the
ability to access justice online would
be one of a whole host of ways to
engage that would be being
developed at the same time. A
default position of accessing justice
digitally does not increase access to
justice; it excludes those who do not
have access to IT or to reliable IT.
The proposals are driven by the
desire to cut costs rather than any
genuine desire to improve access to
justice or service provision. HMCTS is
creaking under unrelenting pressure
caused by chronic underfunding
over many years.
Digital working
PCS recognises the importance of
having modern IT systems and
processes. If processes are to serve
the public, then they must be
Reform needs
to see a radical
shift from the
current model of
business not service,
process not justice
and profit not people
reliable, fit for purpose and designed
with users in mind. PCS have
repeated raised concerns with
HMCTS regarding product design
and functionality. HMCTS has not
wished to actively listen or consult.
Working digitally means working
slower. IT initiatives such as the use
of video-links, virtual courts and
digital court files have all increased
the time it takes to deal with cases
and seen members’ stress levels soar.
The increased digitalisation of the
magistrates’ courts is both slowing
down justice delivery and
threatening the quality of its delivery.
The court store is cumbersome,
mimicking the poorest of
disorganised files. Digital mark up,
the new in-court resulting tool, is
being built around Libra, described
recently by the chair of the public
accounts committee as ‘one of the
worst IT projects I have ever seen.’
In many workplaces ‘digital by
default’ is being interpreted as digital
without exception. So-called
“business need” is the only thing
HMCTS appears to care about.
HMCTS is currently paying lip service
only to real concerns about the
suitability of the vast majority of our
courtrooms to be safe working
environments for digital working.
There is no reference in the
statement to ensuring that staff and
the judiciary can work safely in
courts, hearing centres and other
venues being considered for the
determination of proceedings.
Court buildings
HMCTS are preparing buildings for
closure by allowing them to fall into
disrepair and using their decisions
not to invest in buildings to justify
closing them.
The closure programme appears
predicated solely by the desire to cut
costs and realise assets rather than
any genuine desire to provide
modern court houses with excellent
facilities. HMCTS rationalised the
closure of Feltham Magistrates’
Court last year on the basis there
was capacity at Hammersmith
Magistrates’ Court a ‘modern and
purpose built courthouse’. A
consultation has just ended on the
proposed closure of Hammersmith.
Why close a modern and purpose
built courthouse unless it is to
realise assets?
Our estate is not inefficient and
PCS disputes the contention that in
2014 – 2015 48% of it was used for
less than half of the time. PCS has
shown the mechanism used to
measure utilisation is fundamentally
flawed. Utilisation rates are based on
the amount of time for which courts
sit. This is not an accurate portrayal
of efficiency. Many courts have been
starved of work because of changes
to listings policy in a deliberate
attempt to set them up for closure.
High usage can only be achieved
by listing several contested matters
in the same court on the basis they
will not all be effective. Sometimes
overbooking works, sometimes all
hearings are effective and one or
more have to be delayed to another
date causing parties and witnesses’
distress and inconvenience.
If our justice system is to be the
envy of the world then reform
needs to see a radical shift from the
current model of business not
service, process not justice and
profit not people.
Public and Commercial Services Union | pcs.org.uk
Photo: Shutterstock
Justice transformed,
justice denied
News | 2
Issue 4 | 2016
From the president
For PCS MoJ members justice does matter
It is the final ‘Justice Matters’ of the
year; a title so popular that the
employer used it to inform staff of
the swingeing changes ahead for
those working in HMCTS.
To our members justice does
matter. It is not something that
can be attacked so savagely that
its real purpose is lost. We are
not a private company or a
business. We are a public service
and despite everything thrown
at us and the obstacles put in our
path we still endeavour to
provide a service to be proud of.
Many of you working in HMCTS
will have attended the “one
conversation” forums. Many
members were left concerned
about their futures and the sad
truth is those charged with
explaining the future were given
no real idea about what it looks
like. Trying to get us to be “more
Trying to get us
to be “more
flexible” “open to
change” and
“positive” is insulting
and masks the reality
of what members face
flexible” “open to change” and
“positive” is insulting and masks
the reality of what members
face. The detrimental cuts to the
civil service compensation
scheme (CSCS) is vision enough
as to what lies ahead; court
closures, relocations and massive
job loss. PCS continue to
challenge the government
decision on the CSCS despite
what you may have read or been
told. This chapter has not ended.
Another major concern is that
MoJ refuses to ditch the loathed
PMR system. Other departments
have abandoned this and have a
blank canvas to start again. MoJ
could be part of this but remains
rigid and unchanged. PCS
continues to press for change
and we ask that you continue to
challenge your reports and raise
concerns with us.
The people survey made it
abundantly clear staff are
unhappy. trust and morale is
broken throughout the MoJ.
However, it is not all bad
news. For the first time in several
years many members saw an
increase in their wages; money
which had been earmarked for
bonuses. Whilst the increase was
below our expectations, it was
an increase which would not
have been won without PCS. We
continue to work on pay
harmonisation. It is shameful
that some MoJ employees must
rely on food banks because of
poor pay. Our challenge for
2017 is to stop this.
Our fight continues but I hope
that despite the tsunami of
change heading our way that
you all have a very happy, healthy
and safe Christmas.
Group secretary speaks
We are
committed to
delivering an
alternative message
that looks to
safeguard your jobs
and terms and
conditions as well as
the services you
provide
we have had to put forward a
digital solution as the staff cuts
have meant that we are unable to
provide a reasonable service. As
such, judges and court users will be
expected to do their own admin if
they have access to the internet.
The reform programme in
HMCTS is being ‘sold’ via the ‘one
conversation’ where we know that
staff are being told not to come
out and talk about what was
discussed. It is one top-down
conversation. We are committed
to delivering an alternative
message that looks to safeguard
your jobs and terms and
conditions as well as the services
you provide.
In the next two months PCS
intends to launch its alternative to
court closures – which are
relentless. We intend to make the
demand for decent pay and
oppose discriminatory practices.
You can and must play your part
contact [email protected] if
interested.
Finally, your branch should
inform you of its annual general
meeting early in 2017. This is
an important meeting. Try and
get along.
Photo: top: Andrew Aitchison
Can I first of all start by wishing all
our PCS members a merry festive
season and happy new year.
Over the last two months I have
been amazed by the commitment
members have given to their work
across all areas of the justice sector.
This is despite the fact that staffing
continues to be cut, real wages fall
and attendance and performance
management processes become
ever more onerous. And on top of
this, employees across the civil
service are to see poorer
redundancy terms.
Your group executive
committee has agreed that PCS
will get out and talk to members
about the changes to redundancy
and the various so called reform
programmes. I deliberately use the
term so called as reform should
always lead to something that is
better. HMCTS reform is being
driven by the fact that the staff
cuts and court closures linked to
increases in fees has made justice
inaccessible for many people. As a
senior judge said to me recently
News | 3
Issue 4 | 2016
One ‘top-down’ conversation
As we approach the new year
we often take time to reflect.
For many HMCTS members one
of this year’s major events was
the stark realisation that HMCTS
reform will result in more than
40% of HMCTS staff losing their
jobs by the end of 2020/22.
If that is difficult to
comprehend go into your
workplace tomorrow, have a
look around your bank of desks
and imagine over four or more
out of ten desks unoccupied
permanently. Then take a
moment longer to reflect on
actually whether any of those
desks will be occupied because
your current workplace may not
even still be there.
HMCTS has published its plan
for admin work to be moved to
large bulk centres and court
work done in a reduced number
of hearing centres. If you think
you will be one of the lucky few
that remain, think again. Could
you move to a new workplace
that may be miles from where
you currently live? The
experience of many already
affected by court closures is that
moving to another workplace is
much harder than they or the
employer had anticipated.
For many the first exposure to
the scale of the cuts has been
through the ‘one conversation’
events launched in the autumn.
HMCTS stated that these
meetings were intended to be a
genuine engagement with staff
We should
question, we
should challenge, we
should look at the
alternatives and we
should not allow
ourselves to be
thought of as bad civil
servants for doing so
to find a way to make HMCTS
reform work. Is it? Is it a
propaganda exercise to
normalise “reform”? Is it more
akin to turkeys not only being
asked to vote for Christmas but
to plan out the Christmas dinner
menu?
HMCTS has proudly lauded
those staff who have voiced
their commitment to “reform”
even at the realisation that it will
be at the cost of their job. That
magnanimity presupposes one
thing; that HMCTS reform will
work; that it will bring about the
kind of efficiencies that HMCTS
claim it will bring. The
overwhelming majority of you
reading this are civil servants
who are wholly committed and
dedicated to providing
outstanding public service. Does
not that commitment and
dedication demand that we
question those assumptions
when we know or suspect they
are flawed? Is it providing an
outstanding public service to
accept blindly that Reform will
work simply because we are told
over and over again that it will
despite there being no evidence
to support that position?
HMCTS has branded HMCTS
reform and one conversation
under the “justice matters”
banner. The same title of this very
publication, and pithy comments
about ‘one conversation’ with
PCS beforehand that would have
clarified this aside, it actually
reinforces a very important point
– justice does indeed matter. It is
one of the fundamental bedrocks
of society and we as taxpayers, as
civil servants charged with the
administration of justice, as
members of a trade union
committed to the preservation of
a properly funded justice system
should not just accept lightly or
consider as an inevitability the
dismantling of the system. We
should question, we should
challenge, we should look at the
alternatives and we should not
allow ourselves to be thought of
as bad civil servants for doing so.
If you make one new year’s
resolution let it be that if you
have a concern about HMCTS
reform that you speak out, at a
‘one conversation’ event, at your
AGM, through the HMCTS blogs,
through the collective voice of
PCS. Speak out.
Staff were told a year ago there
would be a 50% cut to the central
admin budget. We prepared for
staff cuts, massive workload
increases and the requirement to
meet unachievable
commitments. The employer
stated they had well thought out
plans for how this will happen.
Workloads would be cut to
reflect the reduced workforce,
everything would be achievable
and this would be a great place
to work.
It had to be true as a giant pink
banner was placed in the
entrance to 102 Petty France
announcing that the civil service is
“a great place to work” – just in
case anyone dared to say
otherwise.
Of course we know this is
nonsense. The “well thought-out
plans” which led to hundreds
being exited in September have,
just one month later, led to a
The “well
thought-out
plans” which led to
hundreds being
exited in September
have, just one month
later, led to a
recruitment
campaign to replace
some roles
recruitment campaign to
replace some roles. This can only
mean the employer was grossly
incompetent in planning the
work and staffing levels required
and had to do a quick aboutface or this was always a cynical
attempt to get rid of staff on
higher salaries (due to accruing
many years’ knowledge and
experience) in favour of cheaper
inexperienced replacements.
Yes, it’s a great place to work.
Photo: Shutterstock
Transforming the MoJ
Feature | 4
Issue 4 | 2016
New report raises staff
concerns over justice cuts
A report launched in October
shows how government reforms
are causing chaos in our justice
system and denying access to those
that need it most.
PCS members working in courts
and for the CPS were among those
who responded to a survey
conducted by the TUC, as part of
their research for the report.
Only 4% of those who responded
agreed that IT used in courts works
efficiently, and the language used
by staff to describe the systems,
which included ‘ancient’,
‘unreliable’ and ‘incompatible’,
raises serious concerns over the
government’s plans to increase its
reliance on technology and
so-called virtual courts. The survey
took place at a time that ensured
its results could reflect new
technology already introduced.
The report, called Justice
Denied, recommends a halt to
court closures before the impact
of previous ones has been properly
The rise in
litigants in
person has had a
detrimental impact
on the ability of family
and civil courts to
deliver justice fairly,
effectively and
efficiently
assessed, and that technology
should be developed in
collaboration with staff and fully
tested before being rolled out
across court services.
It is one of many reports to
raise concerns about the impact
of legal aid cuts on vulnerable
people trying to access justice.
For example concerns are raised
about the impact on survivors of
domestic violence, with a 16% fall
seen in domestic violence
applications for legal aid
between 2011/12 and 2015/16.
Crucially it also focuses on the
frustration for staff trying to deliver
an efficient service in the face of
massive cutbacks. Two-thirds of
staff who responded to the survey
believe that cases are taking
longer since civil legal aid cuts
were introduced. According to
the vast majority of respondents
(87%) the rise in litigants in person
has had a detrimental impact on
the ability of family and civil courts
to deliver justice fairly, effectively
and efficiently.
The Justice Denied report has
been released by the TUC as part
of the joint union campaign
Speak up for Justice which PCS
plays a key part in.
More about that campaign and
a copy of the report can be found
at speakupforjustice.org
Civil, family and tribunals staff have
not experienced as much
digitalisation as members working
in crime but things are now
moving faster. Divorce, probate,
tax tribunals and SSCS tribunals will
be the first affected. Magistrates’
courts members can tell you not
only about the chaos but threat to
service delivery that digitalisation
brings and the dangers of
digitalisation aimed at cutting
costs rather than improving
customer service.
Many litigants in person will
really struggle to use an online
service and will either make errors
or just not issue or respond to
claims and proceedings. Many
court and tribunal users face a
hearing without legal
representation and already
struggle to argue their case. If
HMCTS moves to a system where
The MoJ is
facing a crisis
caused by
government
spending cuts, and
people with the
power to save our
justice system are
sitting right next
to you
an increasing number of decisions
are made digitally this will make it
even more difficult for ordinary
people to access justice.
As proposed changes to our
work are announced, we will be
asking the MoJ for time to meet
with the members who are
affected. We are the ones who
know what will and won’t work
and union reps need your expertise
to challenge the employer.
Members working in civil
enforcement and the court of
protection may have noticed that
they do not feature in the MoJ’s
“justice matters” pamphlet. PCS
asked about this were told that
the court of protection will be
dealt with near the end of the
reform project. Plans for civil
enforcement have not yet been
made. PCS will keep a vigilant eye
on this given that our CEO
colleagues in criminal
enforcement are once again
facing privatisation.
As the PCS campaign against
the reform project develops, we
won’t just need the expertise of
members but assistance in getting
the word out. We will need
members to write to their MPs
(template letters will be provided),
reps will need help handing out
leaflets and we will need each and
every union member to speak to
their colleagues about joining.
The MoJ is facing a crisis caused by
government spending cuts, and
people with the power to save our
justice system are sitting right
next to you.
Photos: Shutterstock
Reform hits civil, family and tribunals staff
Feature | 5
Issue 4 | 2016
Devolved justice in
Greater Manchester
In July 2016, the MoJ and the Greater
Manchester Combined Authority
(GMCA) signed a joint memorandum
of understanding (MoU) in
preparation for the devolution of
justice and funding. The work
outlined in the MoU will form part of
a much broader framework
involving other government
departments who will also be
working with GMCA on devolving
similar powers and funding.
In terms of the MoJ, paragraph
four of the MoU outlines the
following objectives:
• To jointly identify what needs to
change to ensure the criminal
justice system functions and
delivers more effectively in a place
and; reduces offending and threat
and harm to society
• To deliver effective integrated
justice and rehabilitation
functions across GMCA
• To move justice and resettlement
closer to home where possible
• To strengthen the focus on
We must ensure
that devolution
is not simply used as
another vehicle for
the government to
introduce further cuts
to local authorities
and indeed the MoJ
Manchester Civil Justice Centre, Spinningfields, Manchester.
rehabilitation, including greater
focus on prevention and
reduction of harm
• To ensure the criminal justice
system connects people to
growth and aspiration, e.g.
supporting employment and
early years services; and
• To forge a partnership between
GMCA the MoJ, NOMS and other
justice partners, community
sector, providers and statutory
organisations for the benefit of
the population.
To date PCS have taken a neutral
stance on this initiative. While we
recognise that a properly resourced
and progressive GMCA working
closely with MoJ, NOMS and other
justice partners has massive
potential, we must ensure that
devolution is not simply used as
another vehicle for the government
to introduce further cuts to local
authorities and indeed the MoJ.
Consequently we were most
interested to hear at Andy
Burnham’s official launch as Labour
candidate for the mayor of GMCA
that his mayoral manifesto would
be “made by the people.”
The GEC subsequently wrote to
Andy to requesting a meeting
where we can discuss his position
on prison reform, possible
changes to the YJB, court closures
and privatisation of enforcement
work. He has agreed to meet with
us and a further update will be
included in the next edition of
Justice Matters.
While the announcement of
additional monies to recruit 2,500
prison officers is welcomed it
confirms our position that the
savage reductions in budgets and
staffing were dangerously
misguided and we were absolutely
right to campaign against these
cuts. Moreover in terms of
transforming our prisons into places
of safety, decency and rehabilitation
there are still insufficient numbers
of operational and non-operational
staff working in NOMS.
The recent publication of the
white paper “prison safety and
reform” presents a significant
challenge to all of us. Key proposals
include:
• Making our prisons safer with
extra staff and investment to
increase staff to prisoner ratios
• Tackling evolving security
Any agreement
must fully
address our key
negotiating demands
in respect of no
privatisation,
defending of our
terms and conditions,
national grading and
job security
threats such as new
psychoactive substances, mobile
devices and drones
• Even greater empowerment for
all governors over their budgets,
staffing, services and regimes
within their prisons
• Publishing results in new league
tables to drive reform and
improvements across the estate
and create a new duty for the
secretary of state to intervene
when prisons are failing
• Establishing new standards to
get prisoners off drugs and into
work, with offenders to be tested
for drug use on entry and exit
from prison.
• An overhaul of how the system is
overseen and inspected with an
enhanced role for the Prison and
Probation Inspectorate and
independent monitoring boards.
In response to the white paper PCS
has established a working group to
identify both our bargaining and
campaigning objectives and are in
the process of preparing an initial
briefing paper for the justice
parliamentary group of MPs.
Finally, as regards bargaining
objectives we are due to
recommence negotiating meetings
with NOMS regarding a collective
agreement on how the six reform
prisons will operate. Suffice to say
that we will continue to argue that
any agreement must fully address
our key negotiating demands in
respect of no privatisation,
defending of our terms and
conditions, national grading and
job security.
Photos: Shutterstock, Andrew Aitchison
Prison reform update
Feature | 6
Issue 4 | 2016
Is the MoJ really tackling
unconscious bias?
Unconscious bias refers to the
stereotypes, both negative and
positive, that exist in our
subconscious and affect our
behaviour. The MoJ mandates for all
Band Ds and above to undergo
training in the form of e-learning.
Completing this training (your
score is immaterial) is the means by
which the MoJ seeks to ensure
decisions made in the workplace
are not based on hidden prejudices.
But does it work?
One can quibble about how
the questions are phrased and
the assumptions made about
what constitutes bias, but I do
not question that we all have an
unconscious bias given our
different demographics (age,
gender, sexuality, ethnicity,
religion (or none) disability,
nationality, region, job, even
interests) I’d argue the biggest
basis for unconscious (and
conscious) bias is class.
More to the point, do these
different aspects of our identity
cause us to be biased and do
managers exercise unconscious
bias when making decisions
affecting their staff or in dealing
There seems to
be no course
or process aimed at
ensuring that whilst
we all have
unconscious bias, we
should not be
making decisions
affecting our staff or
customers while
acting on it
with customers?
Areas where managers may be
acting on an unconscious bias are
when making decisions about who
to deputise (and who not), on the
granting of annual leave, special
leave, reward and recognition
awards, overtime, alternative
working pattern requests, even
where to site staff on a section. Can
we exempt decisions made under
the draconian managing
attendance procedure,
performance management and
disciplinary policies? Favouritism is
perceived to be rife.
The cuts have lessened the
impact of unconscious bias in the
areas of recruitment and
promotion (because there is not
much of either at the moment)
but how many of those working
now, or promoted in the past,
are in the position they are to an
unconscious bias decision made
in their favour?
So, great that unconscious
bias is the subject of e-learning
which provides some food for
thought. However, the most
serious failing is that there seems
to be no course or process aimed
at ensuring that while we all have
unconscious bias, we should not
be making decisions affecting
our staff or customers while
acting on it.
PCS representatives have
negotiated major changes to the
Youth Justice Board (YJB)
attendance management policy
and procedure. Whereas in the
MoJ policy discretion is vague and
it appears discouraged, the YJB
policy makes it clear ‘YJB
managers are asked to use their
manager discretion and
judgement in the application of
the policy. Where the policy/
procedure (rather that the
guidance) states “must” this
needs to be followed and where
the policy/procedure states
“should” or “may” this is a
recommendation over which the
The YJB also
puts emphasis
on using the
Occupational Health
Service to ascertain
if the employee is
covered by the
Equality Act of 2010
manager has discretion’.
This is a marked change from
the policy being foisted on us by
civil service employment policy
(CSEP). The YJB also puts emphasis
on using the occupational health
service to ascertain if the
employee is covered by the
Equality Act of 2010 and is
potentially disabled. Although
trigger points are still present,
there is an emphasis on using “an
informal attendance review” as
opposed to rushing to hand out a
written warning.
There is a sustained
improvement period of 6 months
ollowing satisfactory attendance
during an improvement period.
The improvement period is 3 to 6
months with a pro rata trigger
point. It may not be great but it is
certainly a step in the right
direction. If only the MoJ could see
sense and listen to PCS.
Photo (top): Shutterstock
Discretion key in YJB attendance policy
Feature | 7
Issue 4 | 2016
Violence against
prison instructional
officers increasing
PCS reps
throughout the
country are
reporting that they
are dealing with ever
increasing numbers
of members who
have been assaulted
in their workshop
clinic where I am being tested
for HIV, hepatitis A, B and C as
well as syphilis. I have been
advised not to have sexual
contact with my wife until all
tests have been completed in
three months’ time.”
There are approximately
1,000 instructional officers in
prisons consistently spending
around 30 hours a week in
direct contact with prisoners in
their workshops, all of whom
are committed to helping
prisoners by furnishing them
with new skills to help them to
change their lives around on
release. Instructors as a group
have more contact time with
prisoners than any other NOMS
employees and this time is
used solely in helping to
rehabilitate them.
There has been an increase
in the number of assaults
perpetrated by prisoners
under the influence of so
called legal highs such as
SPICE/NPS but this is not the
only cause. Instructional
officers are raising concerns
around recruitment and
retention of properly qualified
instructors, together with the
pressure that managers and
governors are under to meet
attendance and production
targets in workshops which is
leading them to impose
changes to workshop risk
assessments, modify risk levels
of prisoners and workshops
and even impose increases in
prisoner to instructor ratios, all
without consultation. Reports
from reps also show that some
managers are ignoring
national agreements on the
management of prisoners in
workshops and over-ruling
decisions excluding prisoners
from work forcing aggressive
and un-cooperative prisoners
into work with scant regard
being paid to our members.
PCS has raised these issues
through the national Whitley
and ministers. We have
attended dedicated meetings
with the lead for violence
reduction and with the acting
director of public sector
prisons. We have secured a
commitment from the
employer to:
• Review the risk assessment
process for both workshops and
prisoners, with health and safety
advisors being instructed to look
into changes in risk assessments
and report back for further
action.
• Remind establishments of the
difference between prisoner/
instructor ratios and
benchmark levels.
To improve contact with the
employer in relation to health and
safety, PCS has provided them
with a list of PCS area health and
safety contacts who will ensure
that health and safety issues are
dealt with swiftly.
PCS believe many of these
issues are best handled at a
local level and we ask reps and
members to become more
involved locally, by attending
local Whitley council meetings,
health and safety committees
and safer custody meetings.
PCS continues to be involved
with the introduction of
body-worn video cameras at a
national level and, following
discussions with members of
the instructors’ group will be
drafting guidance to members.
Photo: Shutterstock
Violence in prisons is increasing. At
the same time that the Prison
Officers’ Association (POA) has been
highlighting their concerns, PCS
have also been raising ours about
the increase in assaults on
instructional officers.
The latest figures show
violent assaults in prisons rose
by 35% last year, including a 43%
increase in attacks on staff with
more than one in 10 of these
resulting in serious injuries. PCS
reps throughout the country are
reporting that they are dealing
with ever increasing numbers of
members who have been
assaulted in their workshop.
Some harrowing stories have
been heard and the
consequences of these assaults
have in some instances been life
changing.
At this year’s PCS conference
in Brighton delegates heard the
emotional and heart breaking
story of one member who was
assaulted by “potting” in his
workshop.
He described how a prisoner
had deliberately thrown the
contents of the jugs he was
holding over him. The jugs
contained human urine and
faeces. The member further set
out the effects of this assault “In
the days following the incident I
lost all my appetite, continued
to vomit, and experienced
violent nightmares. I could not
bring myself to physically touch
my wife or three young children
due to feeling constantly dirty
and contaminated, despite
having numerous showers a day
using Dettol. I found myself
washing my hands regularly in
bleach as I was convinced I
could still smell the human
excrement. I have attended an
appointment at a local GUM
Feature | 8
Issue 4 | 2016
NBCs “reformed” into
customer service centres
Being active in
the union is
not difficult or
particularly time
consuming but what
it will mean is the
union will be in a
stronger position to
challenge the
employer on your
behalf
cannot stress strongly enough the
need for members in the business
centres to become more active
and organised so that we as a
union are in a position to
challenge the potential wholesale
relocations of existing sites and
any moves by the employer to
create soulless digital warehouses
that treat staff like nameless cogs
expected to work any hours, and
in any role, all in the name of
flexibility and continuous
improvement.
What can you do?
• If you are not a PCS member
currently then join:
pcs.org.uk/join
• Keep up to date with what’s
happening on the PCS website:
pcs.org.uk
• Feedback your concerns to PCS
to keep information flowing. You
are the union’s eyes and ears
• Attend any union meetings and
always vote in union ballots
• Volunteer to distribute material
from the union, or become an
advocate details are on the PCS
website or consider becoming
a union representative and
and fight not just for yourself
but for others.
Work-related stress at record levels
According to a TUC study published
in October, work-related stress is
now at record levels. Every two
years safety reps contribute to a
TUC survey on hazards at work and
stress is consistently the top issue
with seventy per cent citing it as a
problem (the highest figure so far).
It is highest in the public sector,
particularly in central government,
with blame placed on the effects of
government cuts. In central
government 93% of reps cited it as
a top five workplace hazard.
Geographically, the most
significant increases in reporting
this as the number one health and
safety issue have been in Northern
Ireland (up 13% to 78%), the North
(up 11% to 78%), Scotland (up 8% to
74%) and the South West (up 6 % to
81 %). East Anglia, the South East
and Wales have seen5% increases
(64, 67 and 75% respectively). For
many years London had the biggest
problem. It is worrying that with a
figure as high as 74%, London is
now considered average.
This is about
bad
management
practice and a
failure to meet an
employer’s legal
responsibility to
conduct
organisational risk
assessments for
stress and treat
staff decently
Staff cuts are causing those
remaining to be over-worked, with
the constant atmosphere of fear
creating additional pressure. Staff
experience unreasonable
workloads, unsupportive managers,
violence, bullying and harassment.
Yet it is wrong to generalise about
all managers, many of whom are
experiencing the same issues from
higher up and are often tasked
with delivering the bad decisions of
the employer.
JOIN PCS
WE’RE
STRONGER
TOGETHER
To safeguard your
job, protect your
pay and pension,
get legal advice and
representation at
work, join PCS.
pcs.org.uk/join
Public and Com
mercial Services
Unio
n | pcs.org.uk
Being active in the union is not
difficult or particularly time
consuming but what it will mean
is the union will be in a stronger
position to challenge the
employer on your behalf.
Justice Matters is issued
four times a year and
distributed by email. Justice
Matters is the newsletter of the
PCS MoJ group. Distributed to
12,000 members.
Commissioning editor
Karen Watts
Workplace stress is entirely
preventable. This is about bad
management practice and a failure
to meet an employer’s legal
responsibility to conduct
organisational risk assessments for
stress and treat staff decently.
Pushing staff to breaking point is
not good for business, but a
short-term approach to do more for
less means that long-term effects
are ignored. The impact on staff
needs to be considered when any
change, be it large or small, is
considered at work.
Contributors
Rebecca Allan, Martyn Collins
Tony Conway, Phil Cosgrove
James Davies, John Gleeson
Jackie Green, Jeff James
Chris Poyner, Alison Roder
Dave Vincent
The editor can be contacted via
PCS HQ, 160 Falcon Road,
London SW11 2LN.
Tel: 020 7801 2625
Fax: 020 7801 2888
Published by:
Public and Commercial
Services Union
Design:
PCS Communications
8595.12.16 Photo: Shutterstock
As part of the reform programme
our existing national business
centres (NBCs) are due to become
customer service centres or CSCs
which sounds like a dangerous
new greenhouse gas.
Using that analogy we must
ensure, if and when CSCs are
unleashed, that they cannot
destroy the ozone layer or the
terms and working conditions of
PCS members who find themselves
working in them.
It was clear from the first “one
conversation” that at the present
time their proposed size, locations,
and numbers are unknown. All we
are told is they are going to be set
up and they are going to be big.
We do not even know what other
parts of HMCTS, the reform
programme may be considering
for the CSC treatment.
With so many unknowns PCS