GMB Union survey of prisoner escort staff working for Serco in the East of England has uncovered that 93 per cent of staff report their courts and vehicle bases do not have enough staff and vans.
The union understands that vehicle bases in Peterborough and Watton have been operating at times with less than half the required staff.
87 per cent of survey respondents reported that they are actively looking for other work, amidst a retention crisis in the Prisoner Escort and Custody Service (PECS).
Prisoner escort staff play a vital and sometimes dangerous role in the justice system, ensuring prisoners reach their court appearances on time.
These workers report long hours and low pay, with the basic annual salary for a Prisoner Escort and Custody Officer in the region starting at just over £23,000.
Andre Marques, GMB Regional Organiser, said:
“Prisoner escort is experiencing a recruitment and retention crisis, and when you look at what staff deal with, is it any wonder?
“Amidst long criminal court backlogs, the workers responsible for getting suspects to trial are facing extreme overwork and low pay.
“Our members work extremely hard, but the enormous gaps in this workforce are inevitably hampering the delivery of suspects to court.”
“The Government is getting serious about law and order, but more attention needs to be paid to PECS and the practices of outsourcing giants like Serco.”
A GMB member working for Serco said:
“The fact we have lost so many members of staff due to the poor pay has had a detrimental effect on the morale of staff.
“We are still expected to do the same amount of work and are doing at least 12 hour days every day so we are all exhausted.”
