- Conference
- 2022 Police & Justice Service Group Conference
- Date
- 8 June 2022
- Decision
- Carried
Conference recognises the nature of poverty has changed and that even people on what may be considered to be reasonable salaries are struggling and in need of support. Unrealistic rhetoric from politicians who are out of touch with reality, who use offensive commentary to describe people in need and how they should be living, drives a perception that does not reflect the facts.
Unfortunately, we do have Police and Justice Staff who need to use food banks. People who are in full time employment struggling to feed their families, heat their homes and fuel their vehicles are being driven down by the escalating cost of living. Public Sector Pay has been in decline since 2010 and comes nowhere near to keeping up with inflation.
Public Sector employees kept the country going during the pandemic, putting themselves and their families at risk. They were seen as heroes until it came to rewarding them and the government soon forgot their sacrifices.
Inflation is having a direct effect on all aspects of our lives, the cost of essentials, energy, fuel, housing, travel, housing and the inevitable rise in interest rates.
The last Police Staff pay settlement of 2.1% did not even scrape the surface as most of it was eaten up by the rise in national insurance.
Conference believes that members should not be forced into vulnerable positions by the impact of the cost of living. The public expects the highest standards from Police Staff and it is reasonable that our members are paid reasonably for what they do and that reasonable pay increases are considered a priority.
Conference calls on the SGE to monitor the impact of inflation on Police Staff wages and:
1)Consider a further pay claim for 2022/23 if inflation continues to rise.
2)Seek to increase the mileage allowance in line with current costs.
3)Survey members as to the impact of the cost of living.
4)Develop a strategy following the results of the survey for the use in any negotiations relating to pay and reward.