Police staff across Scotland are set to vote on a pay offer which has been recommended for rejection by their union, Unison.
The union argues that the Scottish Police Authority’s (SPA) proposal of a 4.75% increase in salary and allowances doesn’t meet this year’s pay claim expectations. The ballot is scheduled from Tuesday until 1 November. Unison Scotland police staff branch secretary David Malcolm commented: “Police staff play a vital role in keeping communities safe across the country.
“The justice system simply couldn’t function without the essential work of employees in control rooms, forensic laboratories and custody suites.
“When Police Scotland was established a decade ago, there were promises that savings would be pumped back into the service. But all that’s happened since then is a reduction in police numbers and cuts in police staff pay.”
Moreover, he pointed out a stark contrast with external spending: “At the same time spending on consultancy firms such as Price Waterhouse Cooper and Deloitte has gone through the roof.”
Malcolm urged fellow Unison members to refuse the current deal and demonstrate willingness for industrial action to prompt SPA to present a better offer.
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In response, an SPA spokesperson said: “The 4.75% offer to police staff members covers those earning £28,296 and above.”
They elaborated on the inclusiveness of the offer: “Police staff members earning up to £28,296 are offered a £1,344 uplift. The two lowest pay points would be removed from April 1 2024, making the lowest salary point £26,031, which translates to an hourly rate of £14.26.
“The 4.75% uplift offer also applies to a range of allowances for officers and staff, while on-call allowances would increase to £32 from April 1 2024 with a further increase to £35 from January 1 2025. The offer continues policing in Scotland’s commitment to no compulsory redundancies.
“The offers are above inflation and higher than any pay increase agreed within the Scottish public sector, excluding the NHS.”
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