Conference 2009 - Secretaries Report
Last year we were facing a complete breakdown in relations between Police and Government following their underhand actions in respect of the 2007 pay award. Unfortunately the judicial review action found against us, confirming that the Home Secretary had carte blanch over police pay.
The 2008 pay negotiations commenced against this background of mistrust. Eventually a three-year pay deal was agreed incorporating a pledge by the Home Secretary to halt the move from the Police Negotiating Board to a Pay Review Council. Whilst the three year agreement was criticised by some at the time, it was not entered into lightly and only after expert financial advice. As the retail price index heads towards zero this package becomes much more attractive.
To achieve a reasonable pay settlement in today's fiscal climate is welcomed. Our colleagues in Southern Ireland are not faring so well, they are facing the prospect of a pay reduction this year solely due to the country's financial problems.
The call for full industrial rights is being explored, whether this is achievable remains to be seen, as it would take changes to legislation to enable it to happen.
During the past year we have conducted various meetings with Members of Parliament both at the Labour Party Conference and within Westminster, one of the main aspects of our lobbying was and continues to be, overturning the Home Office refusal to allow our 30 year pension members reciprocal transfer rights into the Home Office 30 years scheme. Despite vigorous lobbying and numerous meetings we are no further forward but we will continue our endeavours to change the Home Office stance.
On local matters we face the coming year with a new Chief Constable, a new Chair of the Police Authority and a restructured and centralised Human Resources Department, we will monitor these developments closely. Many of our problems remain the same, and surround such issues as the Disability at Work Act, rostering and the Forces delay in concluding negotiations into our new regulations.
We are currently pursuing legal action against the force in a number of cases where we believe they have acted in a discriminatory manner against members who unfortunately are not fully operational. The actions by certain senior officers in ignoring Force Guidance on the sickness Policy and issuing stage one warnings without showing any discretion even in cases of serious illness such as cancer is shameful and will continue to be challenged.
Despite further guidance on roster changes and the use of D.M.S. the situation in some areas of the Force is abysmal. Short notice changes, no consultation and a lack of forward planning leads understandably to poor morale and disrupted social lives for our members. Numerous breaches of rostering regulations are being pursued through our machinery of negotiation.
Following meetings with the Deputy Mayor of London hopefully we can lay to rest the issue of the Metropolitan Police taking over the London Underground Area. We have been assured that this will not happen and is no longer on the agenda of certain individuals within the Metropolitan Police Service.
As we enter the last year prior to Federation elections I would like to conclude by thanking the delegates for their commitment and hard work in the previous 12 months no doubt the coming year will also keep them gainfully employed in protecting our members rights.
