PSA President Paul Griffiths has responded to the Comprehensive Spending Review announcement made by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak on Wednesday 25th November:
“There’s no doubt that the scale of the challenge in addressing the financial impact of Coronavirus is unprecedented. It affects every one of us and we do not underestimate the magnitude of the hardships faced by those in every sector of business.
“There’s no doubt that the scale of the challenge in addressing the financial impact of Coronavirus is unprecedented. It affects every one of us and we do not underestimate the magnitude of the hardships faced by those in every sector of business.
“The impact of economic hardship is not new to policing. However, police officers have faced years of austerity with a resulting impact on their pay, and no reduction in the demand placed upon them. Now, they have been called upon to protect the public, at significant risk to their own health, during the greatest health and economic emergency of our lifetime.
“It is right that our public sector colleagues in the health service will receive a pay rise for their incredible efforts, but in our view, police officers and other public sector workers should also be recognised in this way. The public sector should not be left to suffer as a result of a pandemic that they have been called to fight on the frontline. Many police officers and staff are part of families with relatives, dependants and loved ones working in the private sector, so will have been managing a variety of economic and lifestyle challenges in addition to the pay freeze they now face.
“Our association will continue to provide evidence, insight and feedback on behalf of our members and the wider workforce, to reinforce the incredible value that should be placed on the efforts of our nation’s police.”
“It is right that our public sector colleagues in the health service will receive a pay rise for their incredible efforts, but in our view, police officers and other public sector workers should also be recognised in this way. The public sector should not be left to suffer as a result of a pandemic that they have been called to fight on the frontline. Many police officers and staff are part of families with relatives, dependants and loved ones working in the private sector, so will have been managing a variety of economic and lifestyle challenges in addition to the pay freeze they now face.
“Our association will continue to provide evidence, insight and feedback on behalf of our members and the wider workforce, to reinforce the incredible value that should be placed on the efforts of our nation’s police.”