Met Police members in fantastic show of strength

Our members working as civilian police staff in the Met were on strike on Wednesday as part of their dispute over their employer’s refusal to pay them a £1250 consolidated allowance to meet the cost of living in London, that was paid to police officers. They are also in dispute with management over a mandated return to offices.

Strike day started early with members on the line as early as 6.30am in Bow, Lambeth, Sidcup, Hendon and New Scotland Yard. Flags, banners and placards were held high and strikers converged on New Scotland Yard for a rally addressed by PCS President Martin Cavanagh, and MPs John McDonnell and Richard Burgon.

Disruption

A significant number of custody suites across the capital were closed due to the action taken by detention officers. Large sections of the Met's communications and command centres were staffed by police officers because of the action; these centres deal with 999 calls and coordinate the dispatch of police officers to incidents across the capital.

Martin told the crowd this is a very important dispute and praised our members for a “fantastic show of strength”.

“Every single member who works in the Met Police is a credit to your union, yourselves and your families. Without your job the job of police officers is impossible and London is less safe,” he said.

“This is a two-tier workforce when it comes to respect, dignity and safety. You do scary jobs, you don’t just sit on phonelines answering calls, you’re all on the frontline, you see tragedy every single day of your working lives and you’re expected to just get on with it. You should all be so proud of making this stand because the Met Police needs to listen. You’re making that stand because you want the service to be better, so those people who follow you have better pay, decent working conditions and respect and dignity.”

More than 100 new members have joined PCS in Met Police since the vote for strike action last month and Martin told the strikers that the Met needs to give members the allowance they demand, along with a real-terms pay increase. And if they don’t our members will be out again until they win.

Hundreds of police officers attending the workplaces were in full support of their police staff colleagues, some saying they wished they could take action in support.

Why we took strike action

Members shared why they walked out.

One member said: “The Met are making the argument that recruitment and retention isn't an issue for police staff when compared to officers; this appears a false argument. Looking at the Met's own data on gender and ethnic minority groups, the attrition rates are higher amongst police staff. One could make the case that the Met is saying that retention isn't an issue for police staff as long as they fit the same profile as the commissioner.”

Another member said: “This just shows how little we are regarded by the commissioner and the senior leadership team.”

While their colleague added: “One rule for the management board when it comes to Met values, another for police staff.”

PCS Met Police Group Secretary Claire Keenan said: "The Met has jeopardised public safety by denying PCS members a consolidated cost of living in London payment, paid to only police officers, forcing them to take strike action. Police officers had to cover 999 calls usually handled by underpaid and undervalued police staff, our members."