Napo United

With the FIFA World Cup a matter of hours away it’s as good a time as any to contrast Napo’s chances of emerging victorious in our campaign to stop the TR share sale with those of the England football squad in Brazil. Cynics might suggest that there is no useful analogy as England (it is being widely suggested) will be home before the postcards. I think otherwise as I am a supreme optimist, but the laws of average say we will at least win a damn penalty shoot-out sometime, someday, won’t we?

Whatever; but meanwhile it’s safe to say that Napo has so far defied the odds which have been heavily stacked against us since May 2013. These indicated that the staff split would be done and dusted by last autumn, that Graylings flagship (‘Under 12 months Custodial’) Bill would sail gracefully through the House Of Lords last summer rather than this spring thus causing it to be unworkable this side of the general election, and that his shambolic façade of a bidding process would attract scores and scores of really interested and knowledgeable companies to deliver Offender Management in ‘innovative’ and exciting ways.

Here we are then, at the business end of our own campaign against supposedly superior opposition: still in there; still fighting hard to stay in the game, and not by any stretch of the imagination running out of stamina.

As always, our longevity in being able to see this particular contest through, very much depends on teamwork. In our case that means your locally and nationally elected representatives (the latter includes me as well of course) working as best we can as one to maximise our opportunities to inflict damage on the opposition.

Our regular mail outs to members, campaign and parliamentary bulletins, and your local Branch meetings (do try and get along to one if you can) as well as our meetings with your National Executive Committee are the cornerstone of our communication process with the wider Napo team which is of course constituted by our members,

Criticism inevitable

In a struggle like the TR campaign it’s entirely understandable that our member’s frustrations come through, especially given the unprecedented attack on your profession and the chaos which is not of Napo’s making. But its frustration which now, as I am increasingly convinced, is being fuelled by a deliberate disinformation campaign by the opposition. The orders from on high to new CRC and NPS Chiefs to not divulge information, whether it be the truth about the state of the IT systems, the actual numbers of outstanding vacancies, or the names of the remaining bidders for a CRC as a number of them start to drop away, is an absolute disgrace and an insult also to the several hundred of our members who have turned to the campaigns@napo.org.uk inbox to help us to raise the questions by giving us a picture of the reality. Graylings people are quite simply denying that the shambles you are facing is a problem, and that anyway it will all soon just pass over.

I will publish the latest quite astonishing response from Nom’s to a very serious concern that we have raised in another blog soon. Meanwhile, the best thing I can do today is to reproduce a message of support from Mike Rayfield, (Branch Chair Napo Kent, Surrey, Sussex). Mike is someone who never baulks from being critical of the centre when he thinks it’s justified, (and as always I respect that type of visible and open contribution) but the positive message below is one that I hope will find some resonance with all of our members.

Ian and Colleagues

Today has been a difficult day in my area, our Branch Members in Kent, Surrey Sussex are extremely concerned at the news that the Mutuals Bid for this area has failed and they are clearly asking lots of questions.  I am doing my best to respond to those questions and to reassure people that Napo both at Branch Level and perhaps more importantly, at a National Level, are doing everything they can to keep this campaign going and to continue to highlight the problems of TR.  

I just wanted to share with you and your colleagues that whilst there is a lot of uncertainly and at times a lot of emotional responses from our Members, as Chair of my Branch I am extremely grateful for what Napo Nationally, the Officers and the Officials are doing.  I know that you can’t share everything you are doing with Members and I think most people get that but not everyone and there is a tendency in some quarters for Members to hit out and often the easiest target is the highest ranking Officials in the Union.  I am continuously trying to reassure our Members that you are working hard on their behalf and this Campaign against TR and the Sell Off of any part of Probation is still very much a big part of the campaign.  I want to reassure members that we are better when we are together and I have shared with them the Ten Reasons to Join Napo (and indeed Ten Reasons to stay with Napo).  

It’s easy to hit out at the wrong target; we must be untied in fighting back against Grayling and Co and must never turn on each other or our Leaders.  What you and your team are doing for Members at this extremely difficult time is very much appreciated by me and I know by our Exec and many of our Members.  If we as a Branch can do anything at all to support you please let us know.

Just as an aside, I was told today that as a Civil Servant I get extra days leave for the Queen’s Birthday.  I have responded to the NPS to advise that I will not be taking that day for personal reasons but more importantly because I don't want more favourable conditions than my colleagues in the CRC.  I hope that a lot of our Members might feel the same way and will let that be known.  

Thank You all, keep smiling and keep fighting

We are 100% behind you

regards

Mike