What We Are

We are a modern, independent trade union representing people employed in custodial and corrections work throughout the U.K. The PSU represents more people in the privatised custodial sector than any other British trade union.

Additionally, we have a strong and healthy level of representation within public sector prisons. The union is staffed by very experienced trade union and prison professionals.

Your Right to Choose

The Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993 gives you the legal right to join the union that suits you best.

What Makes Us Different

We are the only union that treats prison as a single industry regardless of the work done. We also have a unique form of democracy, deliberately aimed at limiting individual power and ensuring moderation.

Democratic Control

Our rules make the PSU Executive Council directly accountable to our members. In this union the bosses are you, the members.

Putting Members First

Our members are individuals first and part of a corporate group second. This reverses the usual trade union attitude.

 

Expertise and Trade Union Links

We have people with many years of experience as senior trade union officials in the prison service and elsewhere. The PSU is aided by solicitors who are expert on employment issues. Membership of the Council of Managerial and Professional Staff links us to 140,000 other trade unionists. It also provides a European trade union affiliation.

Keeping Informed

You will be kept informed with regular newsletters and bulletins in addition to the information you are provided with through local PSU officials.

Sensible Costs

We aim to keep our subscription rate as competitive as possible consistent with the need to provide the very best standard of representation.

The PSU really does promote and protect it's members. Every year we secure vast amounts of compensation for members and their families who are injured or treated unfairly in their workplace. The PSU is dedicated to it's members rather than is sometimes the case with other organisations where union staff and officials are often considered more important than the members that they serve.