Right-to-strike ballot planned

Angry reaction to police pay announcement


Plans to slash more than £30 million from wage increases have been met with angry reactions from across the police service including plans to ballot every police officer in the UK on whether they want the right to strike.

Commenting on Home Secretary Jacqui Smith's decision not to back date pay from last September, Clive Chamberlain (Chairman of Dorset Police Federation) said, "Throughout the negotiations the Home Secretary has shown utter contempt for both policing and police officers. It is apparent there was never any intention to negotiate on behalf of the Home Secretary; it is clear her mind was made up before the process started some months ago."

"Police officers have waited patiently for their pay rise. It should have been paid from 1st September 2007. Ms Smith's intention to pay it from 1st December 2007 has effectively taken money from police officers and their families, money that is rightfully theirs. My members are furious about this and she should be ashamed of herself. I completely agree with our national Chairman Jan Berry when she states that this is an absolute disgrace and utterly dishonourable behaviour by the Home Secretary, and breaks any remaining trust between the Government and the police service."

Ch Supt Patrick Stayt, representing Superintendents from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland commented, "We feel angry and badly let down by this Government decision. The award by the Police Arbitration Tribunal should have been implemented in full and in the way they recommended. What is the point of a regulated pay negotiation system, which is set in statute and which has served the Service and the country well for many years, if one party to the process can ride roughshod over the final outcome?

"The Government decision has thrown the relationship between officers and Government into turmoil and it represents a total breakdown in trust between us. Their decision calls into question the whole machinery of how police pay and conditions of service are dealt with, although perhaps that was always the Government intention. It was both dishonest and dishonourable of the Government to even enter the pay talks - which went on throughout 2007 - when it is clear that from day one they had no intention of sticking to any agreement or outcome. Perhaps the Home Office, who appear to be no more than puppets to the Treasury, should not have wasted everyone's time and just let those of us representing officers deal directly with the people calling the tune in Number 10 and Number 11 Downing Street."