Police to protest at pay award

Dec 28 2007 by William Green, The Journal

HUNDREDS of North-East police officers are set to join a mass protest in London against the Government in a growing dispute over pay.

The Northumbria Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, says it is hiring a train to take up to 400 off-duty officers to join colleagues from across the country at next month’s rally.

The news comes amid calls from MPs for a rethink after Home Secretary Jacqui Smith rejected a 2.5% rise backdated to September in favour of a deal starting this month, which the Police Federation claims is a just 1.9% in real terms.

More than 170 MPs – including nine from the North-East – have signed a Commons motion saying they are “disappointed” by the Government’s failure to fully accept the recommendations of the Police Arbitration Tribunal’s pay award and calling for it to be backdated to September.

The motion says police are the “front line” in the fight against crime that puts officers at great personal risk and urges ministers to reconsider, branding the dispute over a 0.6% difference “petty and needless”.

Tyne Bridge MP David Clelland, who has signed the motion, said: “I can understand the Government’s decision in trying to control inflation and it has done that successfully since 1997 and the whole country has benefited.

“However, as far as police pay is concerned, it was an independent arbitration decision that came up with this and as both sides agreed to go to arbitration both sides agreed to abide by the decision. It is an old trade union principle I am applying.”

Blaydon MP Dave Anderson, who also signed the motion, said additional or bonus payments for police could be one option.

“They went to binding arbitration and are a special case because they don’t have the right to strike. So we should find a way to pay them what they are due.”

Russ Watson, Northumbria Police Federation chairman, said officers were angry at the Home Secretary’s “fundamentally” wrong decision and was heartened by local MPs’ support.

Speaking about the London protest on January 23, Mr Watson said: “It should send a strong message out that these officers are giving up their rest days and annual leave to make a point to the Home Secretary and Government that they are not going to take this lying down.

“More of our colleagues indicated a desire to travel to London, but we have had to limit numbers to maintain the service we provide to the public.”

Police Federation members will be balloted in the New Year on whether they want the association to lobby for full industrial rights, said Mr Watson.

The Home Office said it was grateful for officers’ vital work and had accepted a 2.5% pay rise for them, but decided it should be implemented on December 1 as settlements had to be “affordable and consistent” with Government pay policy.

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Officers’ ‘unique’ position

NORTHUMBRIA’S top policeman says the pay dispute has gone beyond money and is about recognising officers’ “unique” position in society. Chief Constable Mike Craik also warned that the Home Secretary’s decision would risk “fragile” negotiations with officers.

He said: “The issue is no longer about money. The backdated award was fair and has been budgeted for. It is about properly acknowledging the unique position of police officers in society. I am concerned this decision will damage an already fragile negotiating process for members who willingly set aside employment rights while daily confronting risk and danger on behalf of the public at large.”

The force has 4,000 police officers who work different shifts and take annual leave and rest days as a matter of course, with sufficient resources to police the force area effectively.