2024 is the final year of the current three year pay award for Probation Service staff. Back in June 2023, UNISON and our sister trade unions in probation submitted a claim to re-open the pay award to take account of the cost of living crisis.
RE-OPEN THE PAY AWARD
In the claim we asked for:
- An increase in the value of all pay points of 12% effective from 1 April 2023 and an unconsolidated payment of £ 2,500
- An increase in the value of all Probation Service cash allowances of 12% effective from 1 April 2023
The Probation Service took a long time to reject the claim which it eventually did in April 2024. As a result of this, UNISON consulted our probation members on whether they would be prepared to vote for industrial action to support the claim.
Thanks to all the UNISON members who took part in our digital consultative ballot last month. Just over 44% of members took part in the ballot, which was a fantastic turnout. Of those voting, 98% said that they would be prepared to vote for industrial action if formally balloted. This shows the strength of feeling of members over their pay.
UNISON’s Probation Committee met today and decided not to not proceed immediately to an industrial action ballot, but to give the new government the opportunity to respond to our claim for better pay now.
If necessary we can return to a potential industrial action strategy later in the year. We have not given this up.
You can read the full claim to re-open the three year pay award in the resources section below.