D&C Police staff face salary cuts

Devon and Cornwall Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) have been in negotiations with the three recognised trade unions in relation to a new grading and pay proposal for all police staff.

This morning (Thursday 7 August), the Force and OPCC have sent a personal letter to all members of staff detailing the implications of the proposal, should it be accepted by union members.

Having fully considered the offer, the trade unions (Unison, GMB and Unite) have decided to ballot their members on the proposal with the recommendation to accept.

If the proposal is implemented the overwhelming majority of staff will see their basic pay either stay the same or increase, although a significant number (16%) will see a reduction in pay.

For those whose basic pay will decrease, pay protection will be in place, with no-one seeing a real terms decrease for 12, 18 or 24 months (depending on the % decrease of their salary).

Chief Constable, Shaun Sawyer said: “The proposal we have put to staff today is, in my view, the right outcome for police staff and the public overall. I recognise that this has been a difficult time for many of my staff, but it was vital that Job Evaluation and grading and pay were carried out in order that we could be confident that we were treating all staff fairly with regard to their pay.
 
“Throughout the process we have been conscious that some staff will see their salary reduce as a result and therefore, to help to minimise the impact of the proposal, the Police and Crime Commissioner and I have agreed that an additional £2.9 million should be used to give a degree of pay protection to those affected.

“The PCC and I have been clear with staff from the start that this is not a cost cutting exercise and alongside pay protection our commitment to an immediate uplift in the pay bill is a demonstration of that commitment.”