Burnham urged to intervene over ‘zero-hours’ custody officers in private prison
Why This Matters
This marks a contentious precedent as the first instance of zero-hours contracts for custody officers in the England and Wales prison estate. The move raises critical concerns about its potential impact on staff welfare, professional standards, and prisoner safety within a system already grappling with acute shortages, further fueling debates surrounding privatized public services and precarious employment.
Exclusive: Prison officers’ union strongly opposes HMP Millsike offering flexible work escorting prisoners amid staff shortagesAndy Burnham is under pressure to intervene in a privately run prison that is seeking to recruit custody officers on zero-hours contracts for the first time across England and Wales’ prison estate.Managers at HMP Millsike, a category C prison for 1,500 prisoners near York operated by the outsourcing company Mitie, have signed off online adverts for £25-an-hour prisoner escort roles “on a flexible, task-based basis”. Continue reading...
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