Federation to campaign for industrial rights

9 July 2024

Members are calling on the Police Federation to campaign for industrial rights after a nationwide poll.

In June the Police Federation of England and Wales ran the poll to establish whether there was a mandate to pursue industrial rights on behalf of officers and specifically to campaign for a fair process of collective bargaining and binding arbitration in the police pay review mechanism.

A total of 97.7 per cent of members who voted said they wanted the Federation to launch the campaign.

“The results of this poll show the strength of feeling among officers, who just feel that they don’t get treated fairly under the current pay review process,” says Kirsty Bunn, secretary of Derbyshire Police Federation.

Inflation

“With a series of below inflation pay rises, officers have seen their wages fall by 20 per cent in real terms in recent years and they have simply had enough.

“Police officers have a unique place in society, with restrictions on their lives including not being able to join a trade union or take industrial action. All they are asking for is a fair pay review process that acknowledges the limitations placed upon them.

“They have stood back and seen many other workers resort to industrial action when they have been disappointed with their pay awards and already we have seen the new health secretary commit to sitting down for talks with the striking junior doctors and negotiate with them to bring an end to the industrial action which has at times crippled the NHS.”

Officer pay is considered by the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) each year, but the Government gives it a remit in terms of what pay award it can consider, and can also choose to over-rule any recommendations it makes.

Arbitration

PRRB replaced the previous pay award mechanism – the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) – in 2014. Under PNB, officers had access to independent arbitration.

The Police Federation poll on industrial rights ran from 3 to 21 June this year and attracted 50,103 responses. The Federation’s National Council and National Board will now start to create the campaign for the introduction of a fair and binding pay mechanism.

“All branches in the country have representatives on the Federation’s National Council so we will all have a chance to be involved in developing this campaign,” says Kirsty, “But from a local perspective, we will be seeking meetings with our new MPs so that we can share the results of this poll, explain the frustration of our members and ask them to support us in seeking a fairer pay review mechanism.

“We will keep member updated throughout this process.”