Prison officers who crossed strike picket line are rewarded with £100 shopping vouchers for Argos, Boots and Debenhams

Scores of jail officers who refused to affix a mass walkout are being rewarded with £100 purchasing vouchers funded by the taxpayer.

Guards defending a few of Britain's most harmful criminals who stayed on responsibility whereas a union held a 24-hour walkout in a dispute over rising ranges of violence behind bars will obtain the vouchers as a 'token of appreciation'.

The rewards are attributable to be handed out to officers at Class A prisons Belmarsh, Whitemoor and Lengthy Lartin, in addition to HMP Portland, a younger offenders establishment.

As many as 70 of the jail's guards at Lengthy Lartin joined a nationwide strike (pictured at Wandsworth Jail) over security fears, regardless of it being unlawful for the career to take action

Final night time, a number one union official claimed the observe of handing out purchasing vouchers is much more widespread, which means the taxpayer might be dealing with a invoice price hundreds of kilos to fund the rewards.

It's thought the officers can be receiving Love2shop vouchers that are redeemable in a number of common shops, together with Debenhams, Argos, Home of Fraser and Toys R Us, in addition to Pizza Categorical.

The revelation comes after as much as 10,000 jail officers have been pressured to return to work throughout a 24-hour walkout this month when the Authorities gained a Excessive Courtroom bid to halt industrial motion.

The Jail Officers' Affiliation, which organised the motion after talks broke down, claimed the Authorities was in breach of its contract by failing to supply a secure place of job.

However the Ministry of Justice insisted the economic motion was not justified, with Justice Secretary Liz Truss calling it 'illegal'.

Workers on the maximum-security HMP Lengthy Lartin (proven) have been knowledgeable through letters that those that ignored industrial motion final week will by receiving 'presents' in return

Steve Gillan, POA basic secretary, condemned the observe of handing out purchasing vouchers, branding it a 'bribe'. 

He mentioned: 'The taxpayer can be astonished that this form of factor goes on. It's a disgraceful use of taxpayers' cash. 

'Maybe they need to make investments more cash in total pay moderately than singling out people for bonuses. 

'To bribe workers on this manner is morally repugnant.'

Mr Gillan mentioned he was conscious that the coverage was extra widespread. He's demanding the Nationwide Offender Administration Service, which runs Britain's prisons, reveals what number of vouchers and different monetary incentives are being given out.

The Mail on Sunday has seen a letter distributed to workers at Lengthy Lartin, Worcestershire, who didn't take part in industrial motion, telling them they are going to obtain 'a small token of appreciation'.

The letter, from the jail's appearing governor, Mark Allen, states: 'I want to thanks personally for supporting myself and Lengthy Lartin… I respect that the choice you made to assist Lengthy Lartin wouldn't have been a straightforward one.

'Are you able to please pop into my workplace, week commencing 28th November as I've a small token of appreciation for you.'

Employees (proven at Wandsworth Jail) have been mentioned to be sad in regards to the 'unstable and harmful' state of UK jails and declare there was a 'surge in violence'

It's understood that about 60 jail officers at Lengthy Lartin are in line to every obtain vouchers, price £6,000 in complete.

John Attard, Nationwide Officer of the Jail Governors Affiliation, mentioned: 'Governors working in prisons very a lot are the squeezed center.

'They're below strain from their workers to make prisons safer however they're additionally below strain from NOMS itself to try this with much less sources and fewer management.

'There's a mechanism to reward workers throughout the jail service guidelines and people would have been the mechanisms that every particular person governor would have determined.'

The MoJ didn't reply questions put to them in regards to the complete variety of jail officers attributable to obtain vouchers.

A spokesman mentioned: 'The Jail Service has a long-standing reward and recognition coverage for its hard-working workers.

'All rewards are at a governor's discretion.'

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