2000 WA prison officers call 24-hour strike to back pay claim TOOLS DOWN: WA prison officers have walked off the job today to hold a snap 24 hour strike as wage talks with the state government stall. About 2000 WA Prison Officers Union (WAPOU) members will stop work at 13 public prisons across the state from 7am today and expect picket lines will be formed outside each of them. A meeting of members will be outside Hakea prison in the city's southern suburbs at 8am to discuss whether further action will need to be taken, WAPOU secretary John Welch told AAP. The WAPOU says the strike action could disrupt the District Court trial of high profile bikie Troy Mercanti, accused of assaulting and causing grievous bodily harm to his former partner and mother of his two children, Tammy Kingdon assaulting and causing grievous bodily harm to the mother of his two children, Tammy Kingdon. - See more at: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/top-stories/bikie-troy-mercantis-ex-partner-tammy-kingdon-confronted-with-seedy-past/story-e6frg12l-1226587801782#sthash.AjAi9RoB.dpuf Prison officers want the same 14 per cent over three years pay rise that Australian Nurses Federation members extracted from Premier Colin Barnett on Sunday, despite the state government being in caretaker mode ahead of the March 9 election. ``So the idea we're waiting until the last minute to hold the government to ransom is not supported by the facts," he said. ``We wanted to avoid being part of the political hoo-ha that is the state election. ``What are we supposed to do? Officers will continue to man prison perimeters today, but will not work inside the facilities.