‘We deserve special recognition’
Three weeks after the Police Arbitration Tribunal (PAT) published its award in respect of the Winsor Part 1 recommendations the Home Secretary announced that she had accepted the panel’s ruling.
In addition to the 18 recommendations referred to the PAT for consideration, a further nine recommendations had previously been agreed in principle between the Staff and Official Sides of the Police Negotiating Board. The Home Secretary has also ratified these recommendations.
Until the Home Secretary’s decision was announced, it was difficult for us to speculate about what the PAT ruling would mean for officers. But now you can see a breakdown of the recommendations, and their effects on members, in the latest news items on this website.
We had repeatedly asked the Home Secretary to abide by the panel’s decision and, as such, I feel we must accept that same decision. We may not like the changes put forward, but to do otherwise would make us appear less than honourable.
It is pleasing that Theresa May has in fact accepted the PAT ruling. In opposition, when the then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith had failed to stick to a PAT decision, Ms May said that arbitration should be binding. In the world of politics, it can be easy to say what you would do in Government while you are not in power so I think we should at least acknowledge that on this she has been true to her word.
But nevertheless, as with all decisions of this type, there are going to be winners and losers.
On reading the recommendations, I feel that for at least two years the officers who will be hit the hardest in their pockets will be those with three to 10 years’ service or those who expected a Competency Related Threshold Payment (CRTP) in the next two years. But those already receiving CRTP can give a sigh of relief as it’s not going to be taken off them – for the time being!
The Winsor review and the PAT ruling lead me to consider the wider issue of the future of our police service. When I joined in 1985, the Government wanted to pay a good salary to get the quality of recruit required for modern day policing. This followed years of police officers living on the ‘breadline’. Salaries therefore rose to an acceptable standard for the role performed.
I feel we are now in danger, dependent upon negotiations and future governments interfering in policing, of returning to the previous situation. We need salaries, terms and conditions that recognise the unique role we perform.
In the current economic crisis, we understand we have to take our share of the pain. However, we don’t believe it’s fair for us to take more than our share of the burden. The office of constable deserves special recognition. We walk forward when others are running away. We have restrictions placed on our private lives.
Now we have the Home Secretary’s decision on the PAT decision, we need to deal with and negotiate at PNB to agree the detail as to how and when any changes will be implemented.
Our national negotiators will do everything in their power at the PNB to minimise the negative impact the PAT decision could have on police officers.
I think we should continue to acknowledge and support the work they have put in and trust them to do their best to finalise things for us.
Of course, we now also need to await what Part 2 of Winsor’s report puts forward.
Mark Pickard
Chairman
Derbyshire Police Federation |
