In his address to Napo’s 2025 AGM, National Chair Ben Cockburn delivered a rallying call for unity, action, and collective strength. He urged members to stay engaged and take an active role in shaping the union’s future, reminding everyone that progress comes from working together.
Ben kicked off by thanking staff and members for their tireless work over the past year, highlighting the new Annual Report format as a great way to clearly illustrate Napo’s impact in defending members’ rights, improving pay and conditions, and upholding professional standards.
Reflecting on recent challenges in probation, Ben addressed the tragedy in Preston, expressing his thoughts for those affected and reaffirming Napo’s commitment to workplace safety: “We’ll continue to do all we can to promote the health and safety of our members and the wider workforce.”
Ben went on to acknowledge the probation pay ballot outcome, pointing to low turnout as a wake-up call. Emphasising the importance of collective engagement, Ben said: “Action will be ramped up from next week in continuing preparation of the next ballot to come and achieving a successful outcome for all members involved.”
Ben also spoke out on wider social issues, condemning far-right intimidation and disinformation campaigns, and underlined Napo’s stance: the union “will remain profoundly anti-racist” in all its work.
Turning to the Sentencing Bill, he welcomed certain reforms but warned it remains “fundamentally unworkable” without urgent action on workloads. He stressed opposition to privatisation and the public shaming of those on unpaid work orders, highlighting the human impact of these proposals.
Ben closed on a note of solidarity, reminding members that their shared strength is Napo’s greatest asset. “The confidence we can take into the next fight comes from knowing that we are both greater than the sum of our parts and united in our intention to work for each other,” he said, urging everyone to carry that spirit forward into the year ahead.
One Response
Well done Ben Cockburn keep fighting for the rights of the workers as everyone knows probation is on its knees apart from the clueless decision makers.