Officers at Walton prison, along with others at Risley and Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institution in Warrington were also expected to strike over the 1.6% pay rise, which is less than the 2.6% inflation rate, and would have effectively been a 1% cut.

The last walkout at Walton was a one-hour stoppage seven years ago, over pay and conditions. But it was to have been the first time since 1921 that there had been full strike action.

Chairman of the POA Colin Moses had said:

“The Prison Service is in crisis, and my members are fed up to the back teeth of being treated like second class citizens because of the failings of inept managers, the drive of the Prisons Board to achieve paper targets and efficiencies set by Government which will only lead to wholesale problems within the Criminal Justice System.

“The problems of the Prison Service have been well documented in recent months with the dispute over the independence of the Pay Review Body and interference with my members' pay. As a result of these problems and further developments the mandate from the recent ballot calling for strike action will be enacted on Friday 22nd September 2006.

“The Executive have been in detailed discussions which could have brought this dispute to an end, unfortunately the words and commitment of the Prison Service and Ministers has proven to be worthless.

“This Union will not stand by and see our members treated this way for working their proper day. Nor will we stand by whilst a Labour Government treat this Union with contempt and believe that they can use tax payer’s money to force the judiciary to destroy this TUC affiliated trade union. Those days are long gone”.

However, the action was cancelled today after the national Prison Officers Association brokered a deal with government and called off the strike.

Brian Caton, general secretary of the POA, said further talks would be held between the two sides on pay and industrial relations. The union will also press for the full return of its right to take industrial action, which was taken away by the Conservatives.

Mr Caton said following the meeting at the Home Office in London: "Our position still remains that we want our full trade union rights to be returned to bring some balance to industrial relations. But we are satisfied now that talks will take place in a better environment.

"What we want to do is make sure that the pay review body is fair."

We should support prison officers as we would any workers, but ultimately, the solution is to free class war prisoners and free-up prison officers!