Policing Is The Poor Relation On Public Sector Pay

20 February 2023

“I have often said that policing is the poor relation in the public sector when it comes to pay – and this table reflects exactly that.”

Chair Neil Mennie was commenting after ITV’s Peston programme showed that police earnings dropped in real terms more than any other public service from 2009 to 2021 – including the fire service, nurses, teachers and paramedics.

Neil said: “No one entered policing to make money or anticipate a luxury lifestyle because it is certainly a vocation. Others in the vocational sector are utilising industrial action in the form of striking or threatening strike action and mainly negotiate directly with their employers.

“The debate about industrial rights in policing is often raised and this is entirely understandable. There are two sides to the coin however, and even if an undoubtedly long litigious journey took place resulting in the change making us employees this isn’t without risk.

“I have no doubt that if this was achieved it wouldn’t be without significant cost after crossing from Crown servant to employee. Like most I was fully aware that I didn’t have those rights when I joined but ultimately it’s sad that we are having the debate because of an abject failure to recognise the unique position that officers are in.”

Neil added: “The strapline which all will be aware of is the often used ‘work/life balance’ and its importance when it comes to wellbeing and morale. In the main this centred around the idea that once you walked out of the nick you had a happy stress free family and homelife.

“It’s bad enough that workload concerns tend to remain for far too many of our colleagues outside of work and the dreaded return to face it all again is far too prevalent, due in part to the remaining fact that there is still far more work than there are officers.

“If you are struggling to pay the utility bills, travel and feed yourself and family, that balance is looking like a set of scales that is very broken. Pay isn’t everything – and colleagues in this profession understand that – but quite simply folks are fed up with feeling like a soft touch and this is generating increasing frustration.

“The Federation’s fair pay campaign continues but I urge any of our members here in Kent to add to the debate and any suggestions or new ideas.

“Please speak with us or any of our representatives about any of these issues or if you are struggling in any respect. Like everyone else, I pay my subs and I understand that comes with some expectations but it’s everyone’s Federation and the more that participate the better.”

See more on the fair pay campaign here: https://www.polfed.org/campaigns/fair-pay-campaign/