A probation officer says careers have been systematically destroyed by the coalition and Conservative governments, and industrial action is long overdue
As a public sector worker, I am watching the growing fervour towards coordinated national industrial action with interest, but also with anger and despair. I have been a probation officer for 12 years and I still hold on to some last threads of pride for the role. During that time, my career has been systematically vandalised by the coalition and Conservative governments.
Napo, my trade union, has estimated that if wages had kept pace with inflation since 2010, they would have risen by 42%. In that time, probation officers have had their pay increased by just 1%.
