The Police Pay Arbitration Tribunal published its decision last Thursday 29th November.

It was as follows;

To increase the pay of all ranks of police officers covered by PNB by 2.5% w.e.f 1st September 2007.

We are bound by this decision but it needs to be ratified by the Home Secretary before arrangements for it to be paid can begin. At the time of writing (3rd December) this ratification is still awaited. 

Jan Berry, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said:

“When you consider the dangers police officers face on a daily basis and the fact that we cannot take industrial action, 2.5% is extremely disappointing. However, we entered the arbitration process knowing we would be bound by its decision. We will be closely examining the arbiters’ views and conclusions and considering what future action we need to take.

“In effect this is a pay cut, which fails to recognise our unique status as Officers of the Crown who cannot strike and have restrictions on our public and private lives.
 
“Police officers have been waiting for this increase since September, so I am calling upon the Home Secretary to immediately ratify the arbitration decision so that officers receive their pay rise as soon as possible. They need your support Home Secretary, not another slap in the face.

“The irony for the 140,000 officers I represent is that we hear this news on the very day the Home Secretary stands up at a police conference and announces so-called improvements to policing by further ring fencing funding exclusively for PCSOs; police staff who can take strike action."

We within the Met IBB office, like many within the Federation are finding it difficult to disguise our disappointment at the PAT decision, but we need to recognise that their decision is complex and includes a great deal more than that disappointing headline figure. Our claim for 3.94% included  1.03% by way of compensation for switching from being aligned to Private sector settlements to Public facing indices. We take heart from the fact that the Tribunal decision clearly recognises the validity of this fundamental strand of the Staff side submission and as such we hope that there may be further opportunities in the future to progress this aspect of our claim.