Police on strike

[ludwig]

The police federation are calling for a review of the rule which prevents the police from taking strike action.
Could a system where the police can go on strike ever work in practice?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7132024.stm

[Yorkie580]

It does happen in other countries, although rarely and chaos usually results.

The issue at the moment is that there was a pay deal done 20-30 years ago where it was agreed that police officers wouldn't seek a legal review of the legalities of being denied the right to strike and several other issues - including pay calculation.

Most police officers don't mind the fact that they can't strike, that they can have their days off cancelled with an instant's notice, that they aren't allowed to become local councillors etc - the police couldn't operate without the very limited employment rights (comparatively). Imagine if after the 7th July attacks police officers had refused to come in on their days off because "they couldn't be forced to".

Whilst there is understanding that there could be grounds for a review of the pay deal, the (strong) argument is that if one part of the deal is being re-negotiated then the whole lot should be re-negotiated rather than just the bits the government want to review. What has made feelings even more bitter is that because an agreement couldn't be reached it went to arbitration and the Home Office/government are meant (under Police Regulations) to abide by the decision.

The decision was that rather than the 3% rise that has been in place for almost 30 years, this year it would be 2.5% and backdated to September when the pay rise should take place. The Home Secretary has refused to do this and has said pay will be from this month - effectively a 1.9% raise.

I think that interesting times may be ahead - morale is incredibly low at the moment as a result of the way officers are measured (basically the number of arrests/detections rather than arrests/detections that make for common sense which is why you hear of so many arrests that don't make sense), reductions in the number of police officers on frontline duties (despite spun statistics) and now this latest stab in the back.

[barniclebill]

Chaos would ensue and the army would have to be drafted in to clean up the mess.

[anotheoldgit]

Only if they also had the right to strike.

[anotheoldgit]

Sorry replace ONLY with NOT.

[fletcher.5]

Strike action, what a joke. If they spent more time were crimes were being commited instead of hanging over motorway bridges, armed to the teeth with CCTV cameras, they may get a lot more support.
However I suppose the motorists, are seen as an easier target to bring down the crime figures, as well as being a more profitable pastime.

[scoobydooby]

We cannot blame Police Officers themselves for working on Camera Safety Units, or any other job which doesn't involve being 'out there' on general patrol. Officers are given the opportunity to apply for specific roles (often applied for as an easier option). There are far too many officers who work behind a desk, Monday to Friday, are overweight, unfit and will come up with any excuse to not have to undertake what we see as general police duties. But do we blame them? They get the same pay rise as all the others who work much harder, they could also be receiving housing allowance (those with a certain length of service) which would cover their mortgage payments each month and they still receive competency payments each year. A Police Officer with 25 year's service will be earning in excess of �40,000 per year (everything taken into account). Not bad? The Government need to insist that every PC completes a fitness test each year (similar to the the ones they have to do to join) or it's goodbye. Pay rises should also be performance related.

We have some fantastic and dedicated officers in this country who work their butts off. However, for every one who does, there's another who's just hanging in there for the pension.

[scotstone]

For a strike to be successful it has to affect someone. If the police went on strike, who would notice!

[mike1222]

A couple of good answers, and the usual few idiotic ones as well!

To answer the question, we can only guess at the effect any strike action by the Police on a national basis would have on the country. To all decent, law-abiding people it does not bear thinking about - the effects could be devastating.

Personally, I think they should have the same rights as the other emergency services, but on the other hand, I think that if they did have them and exercised those rights like the Fire Service has done in the past, then God help us all!!

I just hope it never comes to the crunch!

[Kleiber]

As an ex-copper myself, I'd just like to say that these days, the Police Force is worse than useless (not the guys on the beat's fault, it's all the baggage that goes with the job!). Personally, it wouldn't bother me if my local lot went on strike - you never see them anyway!! (Unless you're a kid, driving home on a Saturday night, when you're bound to be stopped and searched, even if you haven't done anything!!)

[persianlady]

Would we notice any difference? The lunatics have already taken over the asylum anyway. I am not criticising the officers themselves, just the working practices they have to adhere to, and the judiciary which lets the police down all the time.