Prison builders go on strike

Building workers employed by HM Prisons Service will go on strike for 24 hours from 6am tomorrow morning. It will be the first time they have undertaken industrial action in 25 years.

Some 2,000 workers, represented by UCATT, the TGWU, GMB and Amicus, decided earlier this month to strike after rejecting an imposed 1% pay increase in basic rates of pay. The increase is the delayed settlement of the operatives' 2003 pay claim.

UCATT general secretary George Brumwell said: "Our members are highly skilled craft workers who undertake their work in stressful and potentially dangerous conditions. we consider the offer of 1% on basic pay a derisory and insulting offer, especially when you consider settlements for other prison service grades were at the same time averaging around 2.8%."