Police pay protesters may take to streets
Tens of thousands of police officers could take to the streets in the run-up to the royal wedding in a row over pay, rank and file leaders warned yesterday.
Paul McKeever, the chairman of the Police Federation, said “nothing has been ruled out” as he criticised the Government after the publication of a review that could see pay cuts for 40 per cent of police officers.
Mr McKeever said police were being unfairly targeted for public sector cuts by the Government.
He said officers were being “bullied” by ministers, citing as evidence yesterday’s review by Tom Winsor, the existing two-year pay freeze, the 20 per cent budget cuts and potential changes to pensions.
His comments came after police chiefs disclosed that 28,000 jobs in forces throughout the country could be lost.
It sets the battleground for a row between rank and file officers and the Home Secretary which threatens to see officers take to the streets in protest once again.
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Mr McKeever said the federation, which represents 140,000 rank and file officers, refused to rule out a protest march, similar to the demonstration in 2008 when 20,000 officers marched through London in protest at pay cuts.
No decision will be taken until after Theresa May, the Home Secretary, has reported to the Police Negotiating Board.
Miss May is to appear before the board on April 14 when she will disclose which recommendations from the report she wishes to endorse.
Mr McKeever said any protest action would be held “immediately after” Miss May reported to the board, creating the prospect of disruption in the fortnight before Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton on April 29.
He said officers felt “angry and disillusioned”. They were suffering from “sagging morale” after repeated cuts.
The federation chairman said the recommendations made by Mr Winsor, the former rail regulator, would set British policing back 40 years.
Mr McKeever said: “Police officers do not understand why they are being singled out. We are not asking to be treated differently we are asking to be treated the same.
“Police officers are being asked to take an unfair share of the burden.”
Asked directly if officers would walk out, he replied: “All bets are off. Clearly we have to work within the law. We do not have the right to strike and we think that is a factor in the way we are being treated.
“We are almost being bullied by a government that is riding roughshod over us.
“It diminishes the Government greatly if they are looking at a body of people working in the public sector and saying they are easy targets. That is bullying. I hope they are not following that route, but it certainly feels that way.”
Caribbean says!
Now there would be a turn up for the record books..
post-new
about
Dashboard
home 
The ministry being unfair to the rank and file cops, that’s very much what happens here alot, but frankly to be fair some American cops try their best to just uphold the law as it stands whether they agree or not, and have taken great paycuts just to balance city budgets. Not all cops are thugs, really. I’d certainly want one around if someone was robbing me.
it’s when people are doing absolutely nothing wrong or disruptive that they can go over the limits. Every man has the right to gather in protest of “whatever” and to try and stem that tide is fruitless. We’ll always be here,
UNITY
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8368985/Back-room-police-officers-to-lose-4000-a-year.html
ck room police officers to lose £4,000 a year
Back room officers are to lose up to £4,000 a year so those serving on the front line can earn more, under proposals for the biggest shake-up in police pay for three decades.
By Tom Whitehead and Mark Hughes 5:02PM GMT 08 Mar 2011
At least two in five officers will see their pay packets cut under plans to slash perks, allowances and overtime as an independent review yesterday signalled a culture shift in the way police are paid.
Under the proposed changes, those on the front line and working “unsocial hours”, such as night shifts, would benefit by up to £2,000 a year while desk-bound officers and other office staff would be hit.
It came as Tom Winsor, the former rail regulator who carried out the review, revealed police on average earn up to 15 per cent more than other emergency service workers and soldiers.
He proposed a series of changes in police pay and allowances that would save £485 million over the next three years and allow a further £635 million to be redirected to front line officers.
But he ruled out introducing the power to make compulsory redundancies among police officers.