Scottish Police Officers to Cease Voluntary Actions Over Pay Dispute

Scottish police officers are set to cease voluntary actions as a form of protest against a proposed pay increase, which they have characterized as demonstrating “contempt” for their contributions. While Scottish law prevents officers from engaging in industrial action or withholding their labor, this measure signifies that they will conclude their shifts precisely at their appointed end times and will refrain from starting shifts ahead of schedule. The Scottish Police Federation (SPF), which serves as the representative body for rank and file officers, announced that this action would commence on Friday, November 1, at 17:00. David Kennedy, the general secretary of the SPF, communicated in correspondence to Chief Constable Jo Farrell that officers reached this determination due to “sheer disappointment” with a pay proposal of 4.75%, contrasting with their demand for a 5.7% raise. The SPF has been engaged in a disagreement with management concerning remuneration and working conditions, specifically regarding the volume of additional hours performed. In an official statement, the federation indicated that the choice was made to “safeguard our members health and safety”. This withdrawal of goodwill, an action akin to a work-to-rule, means officers will cease taking personal protective equipment or other police gear home, irrespective of the location of their subsequent shift. Furthermore, they will conduct tests on all vehicles before commencing their duties. Should a superior officer request overtime, officers will still perform it, but they will subsequently submit claims for compensation. In his correspondence to the chief constable, Mr Kennedy stated: “I need to be clear that the formal withdrawal of good-will is not an action the JCC [Joint Central Committee of the SPF] has endorsed lightly. “It is borne from sheer disappointment and the strength of feeling of our members for the utter contempt this pay offer represents to them. “Police officers feel totally undervalued by the service, and that has been apparent from the surveys that have taken place in the last six months from both Police Scotland and the SPF.” Liam Kerr, the justice spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives, commented that the decision indicated that the relationship between the Scottish government and police officers had “hit rock bottom.” He further remarked: “Given that they cannot legally go on strike, it is the most powerful step they can take to show how angry they are…“This should be an urgent wake-up call for SNP ministers to stop treating police officers with such contempt.” This disagreement emerges concurrently with a warning from the force that its officer headcount might be reduced by as many as 1,500 over the forthcoming 18 months. Ms Farrell informed Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) on Holyrood’s criminal justice committee that Police Scotland was progressing towards achieving a total of 16,600 full-time equivalent frontline officers. Nevertheless, prior to the Scottish budget in December, ministers requested an assessment of the implications of a “flat cash” settlement, which Ms Farrell indicated would result in a decrease in officer numbers to 15,200 by March 2026, attributed to a freeze on recruitment. She asserted that the force required a “realistic” budgetary agreement to ensure the safety of Scotland.