Community calls for review into SPS-GEOAmey arrangement

Community, the trade union representing justice staff at privately-run prisons, has called for a Scottish Government review into the dysfunctional arrangement between the Scottish Prison Service and contractors GEOAmey.

This follows publication of a report from the Auditor General for Scotland this week which stated that the poor performance of GEOAmey – which is contracted to transport prisoners to and from custody – was now posing a ‘considerable risk’ to the prison service. The report highlighted that under GEOAmey – which has been contracted by the Scottish Prison Service since 2018 – less than two-thirds of prisoners due in court are arriving on time, with a knock-on impact across the wider justice sector.

Steve Farrell, Community Union Regional Secretary for Scotland and Northern Ireland, said:

“Community are concerned about current staffing levels in the Scottish Escort Contract, and as such we have been in constant dialogue with GEOAmey regarding appropriate risk management at this time. We are reminding the company that the appeasement of the commercial contract should not be at the detriment of staff’s safety.  

“Whilst the company are recruiting, retention remains an issue with staff being lost at an alarming rate.  Meanwhile the Scottish Prison Service, which monitors the Scottish Escort Contract, continues to recruit staff into their own organisation directly from GEOAmey whilst financially penalising the company when staffing levels fall below agreed Allocated Staffing Levels. 

“The impact this has on finances and staff resources is obvious, and Community have consistently stated that this arrangement is unacceptable, untenable and requires immediate review from the Scottish Government.”

Community is the union for justice and custodial sector workers, representing thousands of members whose work is vital to our justice system and to public safety. Our members work for a range of organisations in the sector. We represent workers at private prisons, secure immigration centres, young offender institutions, courts, in prisoner escorting and much more. We are a modern trade union, campaigning for a better working world.

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If you are a member of Community and need help or advice, please contact us at help@community-tu.org or on 0800 389 6332.