Press Statement on Pay Review Body

THE POLICE FEDERATION OF ENGLAND AND WALES

PRESS RELEASE
12th September 2008 

Police Federation accuses Home Secretary of being petty and vindictive

The Police Federation of England and Wales is accusing the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, of being petty and vindictive in the underhanded manner in which she launched the consultation of a Pay Review Body for police officers’ pay.

Paul McKeever, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, says:

“The way this Pay Review Body consultation was announced and the wording used in the ministerial statement smacks of a vindictive Home Secretary in the dying throes of her period in office penalising police officers.

“With the exception of the Home Office every stakeholder in the Police Negotiating Board, including the employers’ side, opposed the introduction of a Pay Review Body. So why the Home Secretary is choosing to introduce one as a ‘done deal’ is quite extraordinary.

“Clearly the timing of this announcement, which we learnt of via the media, suits a legislative window of opportunity for the Home Secretary. However a futile eight week consultation period, whilst we are preparing for a Police Arbitration Tribunal hearing on 21 October to determine this year’s pay settlement, is totally unacceptable.

“By riding roughshod over police officers, who have no way of demonstrating dissatisfaction through industrial action, the Home Secretary seems intent on ending any relationship with us. We therefore have little option but to reiterate the call made by Jan Berry, former Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, for Jacqui Smith to resign as Home Secretary.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors
• The Official Side of PNB put forward a recommendation of 2.325% for the 2008/09 pay settlement for police officers.
• Following the debacle over police pay last year this offer was unacceptable to Staff Side of PNB and rejected.
• Using the median of the IDS Index (a mix of public and private sector salaries) the Staff Side put forward a counter claim of 3.5%.
• Although the option of a multi-year deal was discussed in ‘behind the Chair’ conversations, at no time was any formal three-year offer made to whole of Staff Side by the whole of Official Side in the PNB meeting.
• At the July PNB meeting there was a failure to agree registered by the independent Chairman of PNB and the matter referred to the independent Police Arbitration Tribunal (PAT).
• The PAT hearing is scheduled for 21 October 2008.