POLICE staff could strike amid a row over reported ‘huge cuts’ to voluntary redundancy and retirement schemes.
Forensic specialists, custody staff, emergency control room workers, and other staff at Police Scotland are to be consulted over potential industrial action, UNISON has said.
The union claims that changes announced by the Scottish Police Authority would remove a £10,000 additional lump sum from the voluntary redundancy package, as well as other benefits and cuts to the staff pension scheme.
However, the SPA stated that there are no cuts to the pension scheme, but changes to the early access scheme.
The consultative ballot will run from today until Wednesday, June 18.
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David Malcolm, UNISON Scotland police staff branch secretary, said: “This is an unacceptable cut to police staff contracts.
“Whatever the role within the services, policing is a tough job, and those who need to leave the service should be supported.
“Senior police officers have benefited from these packages, but now it's being withdrawn for thousands of their colleagues in staff roles.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, cybercrime investigators, digital forensic staff, CCTV operators, and many other roles.
An SPA spokesperson said: “Changes to voluntary redundancy/ voluntary early retirement arrangements to bring policing into line with other public sector organisations to ensure best value will come into effect in July.
“Colleagues who began formal consultation around voluntary redundancy/ voluntary early retirement before the changes come into effect continue to benefit from enhancements in line with the 2024-25 VR/VER scheme.”
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