Police Scotland agrees 5% pay increase after officers 'withdraw goodwill'

Police officers in Scotland will receive a 5% pay increase after the force agreed a deal with union leaders.

The Scottish Police Federation announced an agreement had been struck between the official and staff sides of the negotiating board on Monday.

It comes after officers “withdrew goodwill” following a “derisory” initial offer of a 1.4% increase across all pay grades and 2% for new recruits.

Under the terms of the new offer, police workers will receive a 5% rise regardless of experience level backdated to April 1 this year.

The union’s general secretary, Calum Steele, hailed the move as a “substantial improvement” on the first offer and a second proposed increase of 3.4% tabled in July.

Previously, officers – who are not allowed to strike – stopped starting shifts early and not taking force issued radios home.

Mr Steele called it the “most overt demonstration of action” in the force for more than a century.

In a letter to officers, he wrote: “This agreement has been hard fought for and represents a substantial improvement on the initial offer of £565 (aggregating at 1.4%) for all officers, and a significant improvement on the offer of 3.4% made in July.”

“The staff side has been cognisant throughout this entire process of the importance of securing the best possible settlement for police officers against a backdrop of the most severe economic circumstances in almost 50 years.

“In reaching an agreement the staff side recognises that whilst this increase in pay will mitigate some of the cost of living pressures faced by police officers, it will not entirely address them.”