SCOTTISH
POLICE FEDERATION
5 Woodside Place, Glasgow, G3 7QF
MEDIA
RELEASE
The Scottish Police Federation represents all police officers in the
ranks of chief inspector and below, about 15,000 people, over 98%
of all police officers in Scotland.
To:
Date:
Subject: |
Editors
21
July 2006
Police
Pay Claim |
Police
Officers throughout Scotland and the UK are angry and concerned that
the Official Side of the Police Negotiating Board, failed to respond
to their claim for an increase in pay during a meeting held on 20
th July.
Norrie
Flowers , Chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, said:
“We
can't understand and are deeply disappointed that for the first time
since 1979, the “Official (employers) Side” has failed to provide
a response to our legitimate pay claim which amounts to 3 per cent
this year. We have immediately asked for this matter to go to conciliation
and arbitration and will continue to fight to ensure police officers
throughout the UK receive a just and fair pay deal.”
Police
Representatives are angered by the absence of any explanation or reason
why that decision hasn't been made now. They also feel let down at
the unprofessional way this has been handled by the Official Side.
What
worries us is not solely the indecision of the Official Side but the
influence of outside political forces who appear to be pulling the
strings. If that is the case then it makes a nonsense of the negotiating
machinery and yet again demonstrates eagerness by politicians to exercise
command and control over the police service.
Police
pay must continue to reflect the unique sacrifice police officers
make through their accountability and responsibilities both on and
off duty and their inability to take industrial action.
It
may be in some quarters that the job a police officer does to deserve
a fair deal is no longer valued. We don't hold that view and will
do all we can to secure a positive outcome to our claim.”
ENDS
Notes
to Editors
- The
anniversary date for police pay is 1 st September each year
- Police
pay is linked to a survey commissioned by the Police Negotiating
Board (PNB) entitled ‘Pay Awards for Non-Manual Employees outside
Public Services Sector'
- The
survey measures pay movements to 7 June each year and police pay
is linked to Me dian increase in total pay. This showed a 3 per
cent increase to 7 June 2006.
- In
1978 Edmund-Davies Committee of Inquiry on the Police, said in its
Report on Negotiating Pay and Machinery: “In common with all those
who submitted evidence for our consideration, this Committee is
satisfied that the absence of the right to strike is a serious deprivation
for any worker. It is essential that the police should not suffer
in pay because they are deprived of the right to strike, and that
it should be put beyond doubt that they are being paid fairly.”
For further information contact Lesley Stevenson at 5 Woodside
Place, Glasgow, G3 7QF
Telephone: 0141 332 0901 Mobile: 07967 104173 Fax: 0141 331
2436
Email: lesley.stevenson@spf.org.uk
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