\u201cCops want change\u201d on how police pay is decided, the Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) polled more than 50,000 officers, asking them whether they should pursue negotiation with binding arbitration when determining police pay. A huge 97.7% of those polled agreed that the PFEW should pursue such rights.<\/p>\n
This year police officers were awarded an above-inflation 4.75% pay rise, but PFEW is now negotiating with the new Labour Government about establishing a fair and transparent pay mechanism going forward, as well as looking at police pensions.<\/p>\n
South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said: \u201cThe vote was excellent on binding arbitration and industrial rights. It was an outstanding turnout from officers and a signal of how much our cops want change in this regard.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it comes to industrial rights, I was one of the first in the room talking about this back in 2019, along with the Chair of West Yorkshire Police Federation at the time, Brian Booth. We\u2019ve been at the front and centre of binding arbitration and fair pay mechanisms.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to see a radical change in the way police pay is decided. It needs to be binding and it needs to be looked at properly. We also need to pursue a way to get out of the pension trap, which is grossly unfair. We will keep going until we\u2019ve exhausted all avenues.\u201d<\/p>\n