Met Police members to begin 2-week strike

Hundreds of civilian workers in the Metropolitan Police’s referencing and vetting department begin a two-week strike tomorrow.

The staff are taking the action after heavy-handed bosses threatened to dock their wages in a dispute over flexible working. Our members had voted to take action short of a strike over the imposition of a new attendance policy. They refused to return to the office for additional unnecessary days while continuing to work from home.

After management threatened to deduct members’ pay for any day a member of staff worked from home, PCS announced that more than 300 members in the reference and vetting department would stop work from 4 to 17 February.

The strike is likely to cause major disruption in the backroom functions of the force, specifically updates of the National Crime Database and clearing people through vetting, because only people who have been vetted can carry out the work.

Disrespected and ignored

PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote said: “Our hard-working members in the Met are angry as they believe they have been continually disrespected and ignored by their bosses.

"If their pay will be docked when they're not on strike, they feel they might as well lose pay by walking out.

“The only way for Met managers to avoid the disruption of two weeks' strike action is to get around the table and to listen to members' concerns about the arbitrary new attendance policy.”

Support the strikers

There is a picket line from 7am to 10am tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday and on 11, 12 and 13 February at Marlowe House, 109 Station Road, Sidcup, DA15 7ES.

You can also show your support at an online rally at 1pm tomorrow, with speakers including PCS President Martin Cavanagh. 

Please use our quick form to email the London mayor to ask him to intervene and work with the Home Secretary to find a resolution for our members.