POLICE officers having access to industrial rights would be a \u201csad day\u201d \u2013 but it would become a much needed option should the Government introduce compulsory severance for cops.<\/p>\n
Home Secretary Theresa May told the Superintendents\u2019 Association Annual Conference this month that compulsory severance for police officers \u201cremains on the table\u201d.<\/p>\n
Neil Bowles, Chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation, said the prospect of police officer redundancy \u201cwas always going to come back if a Tory government came into power\u201d at the 2015 election.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cHome Secretary Theresa May begrudgingly accepted the Police Arbitration Tribunal decision on compulsory severance before the election, and I think she signed it off with the words \u2018for now\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Bowles said the Government had just released the results of the consultation on public pay-offs.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cWell you can\u2019t just make people redundant voluntarily or not voluntarily, and not pay them what they\u2019re worth. One arm of the Government needs to speak to the other half and say, \u2018what on earth\u2019s going on?\u2019\u00a0This Government\u2019s just totally disjointed.<\/p>\n
If the Government do make police officer redundant, will British Bobbies want to seek industrial rights?<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d added Mr Bowles. \u201cWe are, at the moment, an independent office of the Crown. We\u2019re all constables – if they want to make us employees then give us the full employment rights that any other employee enjoys.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis would be a sad day. We didn\u2019t join this job to become rich, or to withdraw our labour, we came to help. But we want to be treated fairly. And so far we\u2019re not being treated fairly at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
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