Police Pay talks have broken down again and we are off to arbitration. After last years betrayal and a tightening of the credit crunch the government is looking to settle for a low percentage figure. They will just pay what they want to and impose a settlement.
After much hype by the police federation last year we still wait for them to push for a right to strike. My view is that if the government wants to treat us like the rest of the public sector then we should have the same right to strike as the others.
People are all feeling the pinch of raising prices. A couple of years ago it was the same old faces volunteering for overtime, but now everybody is looking to get a share.
This year the federation hint at a work to rule. Well I don't know where we stand with that - I suppose they mean impose regulations so we receive agreed financial reward. Most of us give to the job to make it work. I think currently, I am owed well in excess of 30 days where I have voluntarily worked my days off to work on operations just receive the day back to take in lieu.
I tend to work on covert operations away from my place of work. As I am unlikely to be released from my usual place of duty I either have to go after shift on overtime or re-roster my days off. The job should of course pay me if they want me but budget restraints make this impossible.
It will much of the same this year. We will probably get around 3% well below inflation. In the future if we did win the right to strike would the public notice a difference? I assume that there would be a skeleton emergency cover in place in all areas. As most core shifts are already running a skeleton service there would be little difference. It would just be like a Sunday service.
My motto is don't fight battles you can't win. This year's is lost already and until the federation actually does what it's members want and takes steps to win a right to strike nothing will change.
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