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Unions preparing to respond to the government in the United Kingdom's decision to privatize up to 70% of nation's probation and parole services.
London, UK (05 June 2013) - A number of public sector Unions in the United Kingdom are gearing up to fight the government's attempt to privatize most of the countries probation and parole services.
On May 9, the Ministry of Justice published 'Transforming Rehabilitation: A Strategy for Reform' which set out plans to radically reform the way in which probation services are delivered in England and Wales.
UK government planning radical reforms to system
Among the policies the government is planning to implement are:
- abolilishing all of the 35 local Probation Trusts
- privatizing 70 per cent of their work in 21 new contract areas
- creating a small national probation agency to carry out public protection work in relation to the most dangerous offenders.
Unions and general public oppose the move
According to UNISON, the largest public sector union in the UK, "the Government has not taken heed of the overwhelming opposition to its plans to privatise 70 per cent of probation and create a small national probation agency of what is left."
"UNISON will now be gearing up to protect members’ interests in the months ahead, as the Government tries to implement its plans. More information on this will be made available shortly, once we have fully digested the government’s final proposals."
An electronic petition has been launched with a goal of reaching 100,000 signatures (click here for petition)
More information:
Do not privatise the Probation Service e-petition
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