Probation Service staff and family courts have voted to strike over pay and workloads

Probation Service staff and family court workers represented by the union Napo have voted for strike action over pay and workloads. The union says the result reflects dissatisfaction with a five per cent pay offer and a lack of agreed measures to ease workloads.

Napo said probation pay has stagnated since 2010, with reception staff paid just above the minimum wage. Members backed action short of strikes by 85 per cent on pay and 87 per cent on workloads; strike action was supported by 74 per cent and 75 per cent respectively. The union says staff are working thousands of unpaid overtime hours amid chronic workloads and inadequate staffing and resources.