INSULTING PAY OFFER IS REALLY A PAY CUT
UNISON, UNITE & GMB reacted with anger at pay talks yesterday when the employers offered a pay freeze, instead of a pay rise, for our police staff members in England and Wales this year. With inflation running at 3.9% the offer is a pay cut in real terms.
The employers (National Police Chiefs Council, Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and Home Office) offered the same to police staff as the Home Secretary imposed on police officers last week, namely:
- £250 increase for police staff earning up to £24,000/year
- Nothing for all other police staff
- No increase in the value of standby, or overnight, allowance
- Without prejudice talks on police staff annual leave
- WHY WE ARE SO ANGRY – The trade unions are angry because:
- The employers want to impose the government pay freeze on police staff despite being free to negotiate a different award with us
- The employers are trying to force the police officer pay review body outcome on police staff
- The retail prices index of inflation is now running at 3.9%
- Police and Crime Commissioners, who run fire and rescue services, have already given the fire-fighters they employ a 1.5% pay rise this year
- Local government workers have been offered a 1.75% pay rise this year (2.75% for staff on the lowest pay point)
- The government has announced a 3% pay rise for Health Service workers this year
THANKS FOR NOTHING
When she wrote to police staff in November last year, the Home Secretary said:
‘I want to pay a special tribute to police staff, whose tireless work behind the scenes is just as important. Now we have entered a second lockdown, the novelty has worn thin, and the isolation from friends and colleagues can be particularly challenging. Many of you, though, have continued to travel into work to keep our country safe. Thank you for everything you do.’
If these are not just hollow words, it is time for the employers to pay police staff properly.
WHAT NEXT?
Each of the trade unions will now be calling meetings of our police committees to discuss our response to this insulting pay offer. We will then come back together to agree a strategy to seek to improve the offer. Members will be asked for their views as soon as possible. We are determined to fight your corner and to get you the pay rise you deserve after keeping our communities safe over the last year.