What do you think?

I have my own sentiments which will be revealed in discussion.

But just wondering about general concensus here!

Don't know why they need prison officers anyway - should just throw some food over the wall every couple of days and let the scumbags get on with it.

If as I understand it, they are out following a ballot, I fully support it. It's not a job I would fancy.

PS
City just scored 2 -1

Yeah my feelings exactly but perhaps not PC!

I had a brief career in the Prison Service, Woman's Prison in London!

No not a con! or a Lesbian, but in Uniform! OH was incarcerated as a Uniform in the PS for 14 years!

I saw the light earlier!

The public perception of the prisons is the TV Porridge series. Believe me it is not like that at all. It is mostly full of granny robbing, drug dealing scumbags!

The job is unglamorous, dangerous and soul destroying. To add insult to injury it is badly managed and underpaid!

Slightly off topic, but related to prison work: I taught Basic Skills in a local prison some years back and was, at first, surprised that "screws" were not in attendance in the classrooms. The Education Manager assured me that there had been no incidents in the previous ten years related to education staff. It was a category C prison. What are your views on this? (By the way, I didnt stay very long to find out as the hours and pay did not suit).

Strikes.....under a labour gov.......unbelievable!

While i sympathize with the cause I can't help but feel they rushed into the strike action and it has given the government ammunition.

Good luck to them though.

Well, it was called off, it now seems the nurses are talking of strike action too. From what I could make out
Gordon Brown has warned prison officers that delaying part of this year's public sector pay rise was "an essential part" of tackling inflation.

The prime minister said he would "do nothing to put" economic stability or low interest rates at risk

What a bloody joke. the way he managed the countrys finances as Chancellor is what put the country at risk in the first place.
I wonder if M.P's payrises will be effected at all??

Its not a job that i could do - i think they have every right to stike and demand more money - a friend of mine worked in a womens prison and she was always being attacked - what could you catch if you got bitten for example - nope defo not a job for me - ive been threatened by many kids over the years but an adult is totally different - im only 5 ft so most of the kids i work with are bigger than me .

Yeah, as any man will tell you women are very unpredictable! You really can't see it coming.

When they used to get their final cuppa of the evening before they went back to their single cells, with duvets and TV and stereo! They used to go to a big hot urn to fill up their flasks for the night. It always used to worry me about boiling hot liquid in flasks/and cups coming my way. The favourite was to have lots of sugar in it when they throw it as it then sticks to the skin.

Not a nice place to be!

unless you were one of the prisoners from the sound of it!! TV AND STEREO!!! FLASKS OF TEA!! Bloody hell!!

Oh thats nasty - but what amazes me is how do they find out to put sugar in coz it sticks so burns more -someone else told me something that they do as well - cant remember what it was but they certainly make you wonder were they get the nasty ideas from.

Like you say Silverchick - cushy - 3 meals a day - TV, DVD and a stereo - more than some people have on the outside - defies logic.