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Strike threat in police pay row Anger grows over police pay deal
(about 3 hours later)
Anger is growing within the police over the home secretary's decision not to backdate a 2.5% pay rise. The Police Federation is seeking an urgent meeting with the home secretary to protest against her decision not to backdate a 2.5% pay rise.
There have been calls for officers to be allowed to strike, over what the Police Federation says is a rise of only 1.9% in real terms. It says the rise for officers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland really amounts to 1.9%, as it starts from 1 December rather than September.
The federation says police in England, Wales and Northern Ireland had been promised their pay was backdated to September, as it has been in Scotland. The federation adds it is considering campaigning against the legal ban on officers taking strike action.
The government says the rise is in line with its inflation target. The government says the pay rise is in line with its inflation target.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "We've been through a process of arbitration.Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "We've been through a process of arbitration.
"The arbitration board recommended an award of 2.5% which we have accepted."The arbitration board recommended an award of 2.5% which we have accepted.
"But I have staged it so that instead of coming into operation on the first of September it comes into operation on the first of December". HAVE YOUR SAY As a serving Police Constable in Lancashire Constabulary, I could not and would not go on strike Ben, Lancashire class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=3907&edition=1">Send us your comments
Ms Smith added that the pay award would be "just under 2%" keeping it in line with the government's target for inflation. "But I have staged it so that instead of coming into operation on the first of September it comes into operation on the first of December."
The increase will see all officers paid a minimum of £21,500, while those with the longest service receiving £33,800. Ms Smith added that the pay award would be "just under 2%", keeping it in line with the government's target for inflation.
Industrial muscle The increase will see all officers paid a minimum of £21,500, with those with the longest service receiving £33,800.
BBC home affairs correspondent Andy Tighe said that there is wide-spread anger at the announcement within the service. Ballot call
Police officers need faith in their hours and condition system and at the moment they haven't got it Jan Berry, Police Federation The Police Federation says officers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland had been told their pay would be backdated to September, as it was in Scotland.
But our correspondent said the government is standing firm, saying police officers shouldn't get a better deal than other public service workers, such as nurses. BBC home affairs correspondent Andy Tighe says there is widespread anger at the announcement within the service.
Police officers need faith in their hours and conditions system, and at the moment they haven't got it Jan Berry, Police Federation
But he adds that the government is standing firm, saying police officers shouldn't get a better deal than other public service workers such as nurses.
The police are forbidden from taking strike action by an act of parliament, although some Police Federation members are calling for a ballot to demand this ban is removed.The police are forbidden from taking strike action by an act of parliament, although some Police Federation members are calling for a ballot to demand this ban is removed.
The service has flexed its industrial muscle in the past, adds our correspondent, lobbying parliament over a pay and conditions dispute five years ago. Jan Berry, chairman of the Police Federation in England and Wales, said each police officer would lose about £200 as a result of the failure to backdate the rise to September, but there was a greater principle involved.
Jan Berry, chairman of the Police Federation, said: "For me, we either have to have access to industrial rights or we have to have binding arbitration. She told BBC Breakfast: "The one group of workers who can do absolutely nothing about this - it's a criminal offence for us to go on strike or even to talk about withdrawing labour in any shape at all - the one group of workers who have no other opportunity to do this are having this done to them.
"Police officers need faith in their hours and condition system and at the moment they haven't got it." "Now, if we were any other part of the public sector, people would be balloting to go on strike. We can't do that.
Kent's Chief Constable Michael Fuller added the row is having an "enormous impact on morale" in the police. "So for me, you either have to have industrial rights, or you have to have binding arbitration, and we have neither."
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