Met Police staff in strike ballot over London allowance

Staff at the Metropolitan Police begin voting in a ballot on strike action today over the force’s refusal to pay them the London allowance enjoyed by its police officers.

The PCS union is balloting 6,500 members for strike action following the Met Police’s refusal to extend the £1,250 London allowance to civilian police staff, despite agreeing to discuss the issue during 2024-25 pay negotiations.

Met staff support the force in roles such as 999 call handling, intelligence analysis, HR, technical support and public access officers, who deal with reported crime and custody staff.

The London allowance, already paid to police officers, is meant to reflect the high cost of living in the capital. But the Met is refusing to pay the allowance to civilian staff, claiming the payment was designed to target police officer recruitment and retention issues.

Police officers also enjoy free travel, another benefit the PCS said is denied to its members.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “The £1,250 allowance has become a symbol of inequality in the Met. While management promotes the idea of ‘One Met’, police staff are consistently treated as second-class on pay, promotion and job security.

“Officers receive the allowance and free travel, while many of our dedicated members who support them struggle to make ends meet in one of the most expensive cities in the world. It’s time to transform One Met from empty rhetoric into reality, creating a workplace that guarantees fairness, equality and respect for all.”

The Met Police has offered to make a reduced, non-consolidated payment of £625 to bands A-D and £1050 to band E, but the PCS said this does not meet its demands and is therefore balloting members for strike action.

PCS is also continuing talks with the Met and Acas in a dispute concerning hybrid working and reasonable adjustments.

The Met told the BBC that it “cannot justify spending millions to give staff the £1,250 award, as there are not the same challenges recruiting and keeping our staff as we do officers”.

The strike ballot opened on 18 September and closes on 9 October.

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