Police Scotland staff consider strike action over cuts

Police Scotland staff are considering strike action after cuts to redundancy and retirement rights were announced.

According to UNISON, forensic specialists, custody staff, emergency control room workers, and other staff at Police Scotland are being asked to consider potential strike action following “huge cuts” to voluntary redundancy and retirement schemes.

Scotland’s largest union said the changes announced by the Scottish Police Authority would remove a £10,000 additional lump sum from the voluntary redundancy package, as well as cuts to the staff pension scheme.

It has now launched a consultation among the police staff it represents before moving to a formal strike ballot.

“This is an unacceptable cut to police staff contracts,” UNISON Scotland police staff branch secretary David Malcolm said.

“Whatever the role within the services, policing is a tough job and those who need to leave the service should be supported.”

Mr Malcolm added: “Senior police officers have benefited from these packages, but now it’s being withdrawn for thousands of their colleagues in staff roles. It’s now up to these workers, who are essential to the criminal justice and public safety, whether they want their union to prepare for industrial action.”

Police staff include 999 call takers, emergency dispatchers, scenes of crime officers, custody officers, financial investigators, crime analysts, fingerprint experts, counter-terrorism specialists, cyber-crime investigators, digital forensic staff, and CCTV operators.

UNISON’s consultative ballot runs from June 6 and closes on Wednesday, June 18.

Police Scotland has been approached for comment.