Northumbria Police Federation has warned the Government’s 3.5 per cent pay increase for officers does not go far enough to address the growing pressures facing the profession.
Branch chair Nick Munnelly said the announcement does not reflect the dedication, personal risks and sacrifices shown by officers across the country, adding that it fails to address deeper concerns around the restoration of fair pay and no binding arbitration.
“Once again, our members are being ignored and taken for granted even when the Government’s own pay review body has given warning of an increase in risk to the personal safety and wellbeing of officers,” Nick said, as he highlighted the great amount of goodwill that exists across policing, despite continued pressures placed on officers who work tirelessly and courageously to protect the public every day.
Nick added: “Police officers go above and beyond every day to look after the public.
“They face the unthinkable and perpetual demands, carry the enormous personal risk to their safety and livelihood.
“This is all while their rest days are routinely cancelled, they experience regular leave embargos and short notice changes to rosters.
“But yet again, without the ability to take industrial action, we have to accept the Home Secretary’s token 3.5 per cent pay award which has gone against the pay review body’s recommendation of 3.9 per cent and their explicit warning that this exploitation of officers is unsustainable.”
Time for change
Nick said that the time has come for something to change in the context of years of frustration among officers who feel their sacrifices have not been adequately recognised.
“Goodwill, flexibility, physical and emotional resilience all have their limitations, and current work-related psychological sickness rates give a fair indication of the real state of policing,” he said.
Nick’s comments come shortly after the Home Secretary and Policing Minister addressed nominees at this year’s national Police Bravery Awards, in which they praised the courage and professionalism of officers across the country.
Reward and recognition
Nick said those words of respect must always be matched by meaningful reward and recognition.
“Words alone are not enough,” he said. “This also applies to us in the Federation and I want to assure our members that Northumbria Police Federation will be campaigning for meaningful action to restore fair pay, and improved terms and conditions for our members and their families.
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