I’d like to draw your attention Staff Side Circular 01/25 which details the decision of the independent arbitrator on pay to support the Official Side award of 4.75%. You will note that this award is backdated to 1st April 2024 and should be implemented at the March 2025 pay date.
Clearly the Staff Side are disappointed that the award is not nearer the 5.5% requested in the Staff Side pay claim, but I can offer you a few reflections on that.
Firstly, whatever the outcome, there is a clear willingness across the Staff Side to fight for the best possible deal for police officers. In my service, that has not always been the case. Secondly, the role of evidence in preparing a compelling case has never been more important. Despite this result, the evidence of real-terms deterioration in police pay continues to accrue. I have no doubt that this growing evidence will assisting in negotiations in the coming and future years (which will start immediately). Finally, looking at other public sector comparators, your Staff Side noted that the NHS award of 5.5% would only have had to be reduced to 5.43% to be able to offer both police and NHS 5.43%. Meanwhile, teachers pay in Scotland has increased 33% between 2018 and 2023, an average increase of 6.6% per year.
As demand continues to rise, and more and more is asked of you, your representatives on the Staff Side will continue to make the case for sustained investment in our profession, otherwise we will be looking at the managed decline of policing in Scotland.