Police Federation of England & Wales - From the General Secretary’s Office

Dear Colleague
PNB meeting 6 February 2008 - This is to update you on issues dealt with at the PNB meeting held yesterday.

2007 pay settlement
This item was on the agenda for "noting". The Staff Side refused "to note" the 2007 pay settlement as inappropriate, given the Judicial Review hearing set for 15/16 April and other unfinished business from Staff Side's 2007 claim.

Level playing field
The Staff Side had written to the Official Side on 17 December requesting a further meeting to resolve this outstanding issue from our 2007 claim. The Official Side advised yesterday that they were rejecting this element of our claim, on the grounds that their view of the PAT's award was that there was no convincing case. This is at odds with Staff Side's interpretation of the PAT award. Staff Side therefore registered a failure to agree and, as the matter had already been to conciliation last year, argued there was no merit in further conciliation and referred the matter direct to arbitration.

Pay 2008 and beyond
As you know, in relation to the Home Secretary's letter to the PNB Independent Chair dated 8 January, in which she made proposals for a multi-year pay deal based on the PAT's combined index to take effect from September 2008, on behalf of Staff Side I made a robust statement. A copy of the statement is attached, in which I reiterated our views and those of our members over the breach of trust in regard to the 2007/8 pay award; that as far as Staff Side was concerned, there was unfinished business from 2007; moreover, Staff Side was not prepared to engage in discussions for 2008 until that business was resolved. Also attached, please find a copy of the statement made by the Official Side in response.

London & South East Allowances
Staff Side's claim to uprate these allowances has been at conciliation for some considerable time. We had previously been advised that the Official Side would provide a definitive response at yesterday's meeting, and had informally been led to believe an offer would be forthcoming. In the event, we were advised that they were "working up proposals" they would then wish to discuss with the Staff Side at a reconvened conciliation meeting. In the circumstances, Staff Side considered this to be an unsatisfactory response, registered a failure to agree and referred the claim to arbitration.

On-call allowance
Staff Side's claim for an on-call allowance had also been at conciliation for some time. In the absence of a positive response from the Official Side, Staff Side registered a failure to agree and referred the claim to arbitration.
Pay on promotion and Probationers' pay
These two Staff Side claims had been on the table for a considerable time without much progress being made. In the absence of a positive response from the Official Side, Staff Side registered a failure to agree and referred these claims to conciliation.

Shift allowance
The Staff Side put the Official Side on notice that a claim for a shift allowance would be submitted for the April PNB meeting.
You will be kept advised of developments on the above issues as and when they arise.

Yours sincerely,
John Francis
General Secretary

Statement by Staff Side Secretary John Francis to Official Side at PNB meeting 6 February 2008

(Agenda item 5: Home Secretary letter dated 8 January 2008 to Independent Chair on pay 2008 and beyond)
Staff Side feel very bruised, very angry and very badly let down at events over the last few months.

The time has now come to see evidence of a different attitude from the Official Side.

We have now had two years where the Home Office has constantly prevented the PNB being able to operate effectively.
This has brought the PNB into disrepute.

Uniquely two weeks ago saw 25,000 police officers on the streets of London expressing their disgust at their treatment and the way they feel betrayed.

There has been a clear breach of trust and the ball is now firmly in the court of the Official Side to demonstrate by actions, not words, that the negotiating process recognises the restrictions placed on police officers and treats them fairly.
We consider 2007 unfinished business. I have already mentioned that the Judicial Review is pending (Agenda item 3) and we are pursuing our claim for a level playing field.

We will not discuss 2008 until 2007 is finished.

We want to hear from the Official Side how you intend to rebuild trust to enable PNB to work effectively.

PNB Official Side statement
We note and understand the Staff Side’s position concerning the 2007 pay award.

We take seriously the Staff Side assertion that they feel there has been a breach in trust between the two Sides of PNB. We would want to explore with the Staff Side how we can rebuild this trust.

We understand the 2007 pay award is currently the subject of a judicial review, but the Official Side are keen to progress discussions on pay for 2008 on a without prejudice basis, in order for the PNB to be in a position to reach agreement in time for the pay implementation date of 1st September.

The Official Side feel it is important to progress these discussions in light of the Home Secretary’s letter of 8th January and to re-establish the credibility of the PNB process.

Therefore the Official Side are proposing the setting up of a joint working party to progress these discussions. The Official Side feel the following areas would form the basis for discussion:

• The Official Side would like to avoid the considerable period of uncertainty experienced last year and would seek to make early progress.
• Reaching a suitable multi-year deal would provide greater certainty for police officers, the Staff Associations, Official Side and the service as a whole and demonstrate the effectiveness of PNB as a negotiating body.
• The Official Side support the recommended Police Arbitration Tribunal (PAT) index as a good basis for determining pay for the years in question.

If the above three points can be achieved all constituent organisations on the Official Side can confirm they will support the PNB agreement to be implemented in full.

PNB Official Side
6 February 2008