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Jacqui Smith unmoved on police pay rise
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith hit back yesterday at police officers who have voted to seek the right to strike, saying she stood by her decision not to backdate their pay.
- Reuters
- Published: 00:08 May 22, 2008
Bournemouth: Home Secretary Jacqui Smith hit back yesterday at police officers who have voted to seek the right to strike, saying she stood by her decision not to backdate their pay.
Members of the Police Federation, the trade body which represents 140,000 rank and file officers, announced on Tuesday they had backed action to lobby for "full industrial rights".
It followed Smith's decision that a 2.5 per cent pay rise, agreed by an independent tribunal, would not be backdated to September as expected.
"Setting out on the road to the right to strike will lead only to a dead-end," said the Home Secretary, facing down a frosty reception at the Federation's annual conference.
Smith endured a barrage of hostile questions from officers, demanding to know why she had made the decision which they argued was effectively only worth 1.9 per cent and was the first time their arbitration award had not been agreed in full.
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