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THE fall-out from the recent bitter struggle for control of Scotland's main prison union became evident yesterday when it was confirmed that ''an alternative'' organisation has been set up to represent prison officers.
Two former executive members of the Scottish Prison Officers' Association, who are currently suspended, are behind the Prison Staff Association, which claims it has been founded at the request of officers, ''totally disullisioned by the recent actions of the SPOA''.
The former SPOA executive members involved are recently-deposed SPOA chairman Eddie Hunter and John Reidy, who was his branch secretary at Shotts Prison in Lanarkshire.
The SPOA, meanwhile, said it viewed the formation of the PSA as a ''grave matter''. It said the breakaway organisation brought ''discredit'' to the union, which represents 3300 of the 3600 prison officers in Scotland.
The SPOA has called on the four men behind the PSA to appear before the union's executive committee next Wednesday to answer allegations that they have been working against the best interests of the union.
Three of the four - PSA vice chairman Tom Gentleman, secretary John Reidy, and treasurer Willie Taggart - were all members of the Shotts branch of the SPOA.
Mr Hunter, PSA chairman, and Mr Reidy are currently suspended pending the outcome of an inquiry being conducted by the SPOA's lawyers. The inquiry is centred on a series of events which resulted in the union appearing twice in court earlier this year.
The latest development follows months of battle between the two most powerful factions in the SPOA - the branches based at Barlinnie Prison, Glasgow, and at Shotts Prison, which was represented by Mr Hunter.
His suspension in February along with fellow executive committee members Mr Reidy, Mr Alex Lumsden, and Mr Jim Roddie, followed a formal complaint by the SPOA deputy general secretary Mr Jim Dawson.
It followed a sequence of events which brought the union into the Court of Session at the end of January after the general secretary, Mr Derek Turner, sought an interdict to prevent the distribution of the union's magazine, Link, which he claimed, contained two letters which defamed him.
Mr Dawson said yesterday: ''We view any threat to the SPOA as very serious and are taking steps to combat it.''
Mr Hunter told The Herald the PSA had been set up as an ''alternative'' rather than a ''rival'' union.
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