Probation staff set to strike

Probation
staff in England and Wales are to strike over concerns about their workload.

The
union for court staff, Napo, said the supervision of offenders was in danger of
collapse.

Two-thirds
of Napo’s 6,000 members have voted to walk out on 29 January, while 86 per cent
voted to work to rule.

Napo
claims probation staff workloads had increased by 50 per cent over the past 10
years, but staffing levels had only risen by 10 per cent.

Probation
staff are busier due to initiatives like group work courses for offenders and
drug treatment orders, Napo said.

By Quentin Reade