Join the Federation’s digital picket line

8 June 2026

Officers will have the chance to show their support for the Federation’s Copped Enough and Hands Off Our Rest Days campaigns when a travelling digital picket line makes its first stop at Lloyd House this week.

West Midlands Police Federation will be at Lloyd House on Wednesday giving members the opportunity to find out more about the campaigns and sign the digital picket line.

Support

“Newly released figures show forces across the UK owe officers nearly 820,000 rest days and in our own Force, according to these statistics, owes 59,983 rest days. We have created a travelling digital picket line to encourage more members to sign up in support of the Federation’s Hands Off Our Rest Days campaign,” says West Midlands Police Federation branch chair, Jess Davies.

“Our visit to Lloyd House will be the first in a series of ‘stops’ we will make at locations across the Force area, and we will announce further dates and venues.

“The true scale of the crisis facing frontline officers has been highlighted with the release of these new figures following a Freedom of Information request from Police Oracle.

“The fact that 820,000 rest days are owed is shocking in itself, but you also have to give those figures some perspective. In real terms, 820,000 rest days equates to 2,240 years of lost time with families but also lost recovery time and damage to officers’ wellbeing.”

The Police Federation has intensified the Hands Off Our Rest Days campaign and is warning the Government that proposed changes to rest day protections would be a betrayal of a workforce already pushed beyond breaking point.

Outstanding

As of 1 March 2026, forces reported 817,884 outstanding rest days for constables, sergeants, inspectors and chief inspectors. The real figure is likely to be higher, with four forces unable to provide data.

Under current regulations, officers called in on a cancelled rest day are entitled to a minimum of four hours’ pay at time and a half, recognising the disruption to their lives.

But the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has asked the Government to scrap that safeguard, replacing it with time and one third, calculated in 15-minute increments, paid only for the exact minutes worked. Chiefs also want tighter rules on how rest days are re‑rostered - despite widespread evidence that many forces already fail to return the time owed.

A recent Federation poll showed 85 per cent of officers oppose the changes.

Conditions

Hands Off Our Rests Days forms part of the wider Copped Enough movement for fair pay and humane working conditions.

Stand against this treatment. Join the campaign today. Take 10 seconds to add your name ➟

The travelling digital picket line follows a series of Federation roadshows held across the Force area, with a Wolverhampton roadshow being held on Tuesday (9 June).

Jess and the branch’s deputy chair, Mat Minton, will be at Lloyd House in Birmingham from 11am until around 1.45pm on Wednesday.