Police could strike for first time in over a century as officers set to vote in momentous ballot

The Express & Star revealed in May that the West Midlands branch of the federation was heading up national talks over whether to seek strike action, with the chair of the branch, Richard Cooke, calling for an immediate ballot to address officers' "anger and frustration" over working conditions.

The momentous vote, which was announced this week, could have seismic repercussions for the police, for whom it has been illegal to go on strike since 1919.

A spokesperson for the federation said: "This decision follows more than a decade of requesting the Government to address police officers’ poor working terms and conditions.

"However, these requests have consistently been ignored by the Government, significantly depriving officers of the pay they deserve and the police service of much needed resources.

"The Government’s neglect has resulted in a growing sense of anger and frustration amongst our membership. On its part, as the voice of more than 145,000 rank and file officers in England and Wales, the Police Federation of England and Wales is simply responding to its members’ very legitimate expectations and aspirations."

The announcement from the federation follows this year’s Annual Conference, which saw the chair of West Midlands Police Federation Richard Cooke make an impassioned plea for such a ballot.

He said: "A 17 per cent average reduction in our real terms pay since the year 2000 is nothing short of scandalous. And we currently have no real recourse, no seat at the table to negotiate with the Government, with chief officers around our pay. That's what needs to change.

"This ballot gives [police officers] across all the 43 Federation branches a powerful opportunity to change this and to make our voices heard in the corridors of power."

The chair of Staffordshire Police Federation, Phil Jones, added: "Staffordshire Police Federation are very supportive of the ballot, which will give our members the chance to vote on this issue.

"I now encourage members to take full advantage of this opportunity and cast their vote on something that could - for many - have a great impact on their future.

"As your Federation, we will continue to keep you up-to-date and informed as things progress, so members clearly understand what industrial rights would look like and what it would mean for them."

Why do police want to strike?

According to the chair of the West Midlands Police Federation, Richard Cooke, the concerns behind the movement centre on pay deprivation and discontent with the system which decides police wages.

Sergeant Cooke told the Express & Star: "There is a huge need for this ballot. We are completely disenfranchised. We don't want to go on strike, but we keep getting ignored.

"We are losing officers, experienced officers. It's happening up and down the country. There's been a 200 per cent increase in voluntary redundancies over the last 10 years.

"Australian police get more rewarding packages and it's part of the reason why we're losing experienced officers.

"There's also been a 17 per cent reduction in pay since 2000, which is worse compared to other public sector professions."

The ballot will ask current members of the Police Federation whether or not they would want to seek strike action, and is not a vote on imminent industrial action.

A similar ballot was held in 2013, but despite "a clear majority" voting to strike, there was not "an appropriate turnout" to strike.

Sergeant Cooke himself voted 'no' in the 2013 ballot, which he says proves how seriously officers are being hit by the current climate.

He added: "It's like Stockholm Syndrome - you're treated well one year and then treated badly the next."

Branch secretary of the West Midlands Police Federation, Tim Rogers, added: "This comes from decades of pay deprivation felt by police officers.

"For years our rights have differed from those within other public service roles and it is not acceptable anymore.

"Why do they have these rights and we don’t? Surely there should be some sort of consistency."

He went on to say: "There are a range of strategic matters that we would seek to have implemented through this piece of work - we need a fair and enforceable pay mechanism, something that has been sadly lacking.

"Police officers hold a unique position which is why police regulations exist. That said, this unique position should not allow the Government to simply ignore the evidence on how police pay has been allowed to fall behind so far."

Sergeant Cooke blames the pay deterioration on a change to the consultation system for police wages, which used to involve police officers in discussions with the Government during a process of collective bargaining.

"[Previously] we could sit around the table with the Government to negotiate our own pay on a yearly basis. If there was no agreement, it went to pay arbitration," he said.

However, the federation chair says this system was eroded over time, starting with acrimonious pay disputes in 2008 with the Home Secretary at the time, Jacqui Smith.

Jan Berry, the police federation's chair at the time, accused the former Labour Home Secretary of "betraying the police service" by refusing to backdate a 2.5 per cent pay rise.

"That was the start of it," Sergeant Cooke said, "then David Cameron and Theresa May removed our rights to collective bargaining and arbitration."

Currently, police pay is decided by the Police Remuneration Review Body, an independent body that makes officer pay recommendations to the Government, with members appointed by the Government. However, the Police Federation of England and Wales withdrew from the body in 2021 due to a number of concerns.

Sergeant Cooke said: "Pay is worse than what it was 10 to 15 years ago, our pensions were slashed in 2015, and members are demanding we take action.

"We have no ability to negotiate our pay and no recourse for arbitration. There's real discontent with the current set-up."

Officers used to be compensated with the 'P-Factor', an element of police pay that reflects the unique obligations and responsibilities police officers experience, including their inability to strike.

However, Sergeant Cooke says this 'P-Factor' is now non-existent. "We need action – and any unnecessary delays could mean a poor voter turn-out, and could lead to the whole exercise being undermined," he said.

“And, while we’re not legally allowed to strike, I think the national ballot will be a clear demonstration of the anger and frustration being felt in the police service.

“Ultimately, it says once and for all that police officers are not happy, and we cannot go on like this anymore.”

Police officers in the UK have been prohibited from going on strike since 1919, in the wake of industrial action in London and Liverpool, and any police officers encouraging strike action from their colleagues could be arrested.

However, Sergeant Cooke believes officers should be able to embark on strike action while maintaining a critical level of working officers to ensure public safety.

This is reflected in the Government's Strikes Bill, which plans to impose minimum service levels on certain industries during strike action, to ensure those in critical service roles can strike safely.

Sergeant Cooke said: "If you’re saying that nurses can go on strike - not all of them, but a safe number - then why can’t the same be said for police officers?"

The federation is working with a leading senior counsel (KC) on its approach to pursuing industrial rights for the membership.

Pioneering Suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst once famously said: "The London police on strike? After that, anything can happen," and yet it appears this momentous action could happen once again.