UNISON have withdrawn from negotiating table with Police Scotland

12th November 2016

UNISON, the union representing police staff in Scotland, has notified Scottish Police Authority and Police Service of Scotland that they will not participate in today's Joint Negotiation & Consultative Committee (JNCC). The employers are refusing to discuss pay claims, department restructuring, police station closures and a £20m black hole in the police finances. UNISON have also said that it's unacceptable that there has been little engagement about a decision to shed 81 police staff jobs.

The union is becoming increasingly frustrated that there has been no response to UNISON’s 2016/17 pay claim which was submitted in August and no response to their request for a recognition payment due to delay in modernisation plans. Announcements about departmental restructuring which result from the agreement of the terms for next year’s finance settlement have also not been discussed. There has also been no engagement on the estates strategy which includes the closure of police stations. UNISON has also been awaiting an update on proposals to deal with the black hole of £20m in Police Scotland finances since April 2016.

Gerry Crawley regional organiser for police staff said, ‘How are we all supposed to find solutions to these big problems when Police Scotland will not even discuss them with us? Once again, they are proposing to cut police staff jobs to balance the books. The latest proposal is to shed 81 more jobs. It is unacceptable. Especially as they are unable to show us a business plan or that it would even save money in the long run. Our members have witnessed around 2000 jobs losses since April 2013. We cannot go on like this. We need to sit down and discuss the future of policing in Scotland including jobs, pay and conditions, and budgets. So staff can get on with what they do best, protecting the Scottish public from crime."