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: |
ALL
OUTLETS
051207
POLICE
PAY |
The
Daily Telegraph reported today that Jacqui Smith, Home Secretary,
intended to cut the 2.5% police pay award made by independent arbitration.
A ‘leaked' letter indicated that she would effectively cut the pay
deal to 1.9% by applying the 2.5% award from 1 st December as opposed
to 1 st September 2007.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/05/npolice105.xml
The
final decision on police pay in Scotland is to be made by Scottish
Ministers who have yet to make their decision.
Joe
Grant, General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation said,
“If
the Home Secretary overturns the ACAS award we are heading for serious
trouble in policing. It would be disgraceful, utterly unfair, and
destroy what little trust remains between the police and the UK Labour
Government. Scottish Ministers take the final decision on police pay
in Scotland and we await their decision with interest.
This
has been one UK Government attack after another on our pay.
We had to go to independent arbitration last year and when the UK
Government didn't get what it wanted it appointed an “independent”
inquiry. It was no more independent than fly in the air. They
attacked our pay index, attacked our negotiating mechanism and now
it appears they are to attack the independent arbitration award.
These
negotiations have been a complete farce – a waste of time money and
effort, at least for England and Wales . I hope Scottish Ministers,
essentially Kenny MacAskill in this case, has more respect for independent
arbitration. He certainly understands that the police are in
a special position without any right to take any form of industrial
action and he has met with us on a number of occasions about pay.
Police
pay has to be fair and the negotiating mechanism has to be fair. Independent
arbitration is our only protection against an authoritarian government.
If the UK Government allows the Home Office to overturn the independent
ACAS award the whole system for police negotiations will be destroyed.”
Joe
Grant
General
Secretary
