Police protest
undercurrents | 11.03.2002 12:52
From Police federation
Thousands of frontline operational police officers from all over England and Wales are to lobby MPs at a mass rally at Westminster on 13 March.
They will be converging on the QE2 Centre, opposite the Houses of Parliament, from 11.30 am onwards, to express anger over planned changes to their pay and working conditions and concern about the future of the police service outlined in the Police Reform Bill.
The rally will follow yesterday's specially-convened meeting of the Police Negotiating Board where the Government rejected the Police Federation's 12% productivity claim and it, in turn, rejected the Government's pay proposals.
The Federation-organised gathering aims to ensure the voices of rank and file police officers are heard in the corridors of power during a period of conciliation which begins on 4 March 2002.
Whilst at Westminster, many officers will meet their local MPs to discuss their fears about police powers being given to non-police personnel and their views on plans to change police officers' pay and conditions.
Last Friday, following a historic ballot of all rank and file officers, police voted 10-1 to reject new pay and conditions proposals (84,205 against v 8,059 for) which include plans to slash their overtime from time and a third to time and a fifth.
Under current regulations, officers can be legally compelled to work overtime with no warning, irrespective of domestic, social or holiday arrangements.
"By the very nature of their profession, police officers are not allowed to strike or take industrial action but this does not prevent them from registering their anger about their treatment at the hands of the Government," said Fred Broughton, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales.
"Politically drip-fed smear stories, plans to worsen pay for a grop of public servants who regularly put their lives on the line and proposals to give non-police personnel powers to stop, detain and use 'reasonable force' against the public, have culminated in officers wanting to visibly display their frustration. We are organising the lobby to focus minds on bringing about change."
Thousands of frontline operational police officers from all over England and Wales are to lobby MPs at a mass rally at Westminster on 13 March.
They will be converging on the QE2 Centre, opposite the Houses of Parliament, from 11.30 am onwards, to express anger over planned changes to their pay and working conditions and concern about the future of the police service outlined in the Police Reform Bill.
The rally will follow yesterday's specially-convened meeting of the Police Negotiating Board where the Government rejected the Police Federation's 12% productivity claim and it, in turn, rejected the Government's pay proposals.
The Federation-organised gathering aims to ensure the voices of rank and file police officers are heard in the corridors of power during a period of conciliation which begins on 4 March 2002.
Whilst at Westminster, many officers will meet their local MPs to discuss their fears about police powers being given to non-police personnel and their views on plans to change police officers' pay and conditions.
Last Friday, following a historic ballot of all rank and file officers, police voted 10-1 to reject new pay and conditions proposals (84,205 against v 8,059 for) which include plans to slash their overtime from time and a third to time and a fifth.
Under current regulations, officers can be legally compelled to work overtime with no warning, irrespective of domestic, social or holiday arrangements.
"By the very nature of their profession, police officers are not allowed to strike or take industrial action but this does not prevent them from registering their anger about their treatment at the hands of the Government," said Fred Broughton, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales.
"Politically drip-fed smear stories, plans to worsen pay for a grop of public servants who regularly put their lives on the line and proposals to give non-police personnel powers to stop, detain and use 'reasonable force' against the public, have culminated in officers wanting to visibly display their frustration. We are organising the lobby to focus minds on bringing about change."
undercurrents
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