Date: Thursday 31 October 2013

UNISON Police Staff stunned at promotions as cash strapped force announces £139m cuts

Scotland’s cash strapped police service is considering giving over 100 senior officers promotions that will see their pay rise by at least £8000 each to improve morale. The announcement came at a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority where Police Scotland announced that they intended to make £139m in cuts over the next two years to balance the books.

In the past 2 months nearly 140 Police Staff have lost their jobs as cuts in the Police Scotland budget continue to hit hard and the Organisation tries to balance the books for this year.

But, in an astonishing move, Police Officer promotions, which  have been on hold for 18 months, have been given the green light to go ahead by the Scottish Police Authority.

UNISON Regional Organiser Gerry Crawley said:
"It baffles me how, on the one hand, hundreds of staff jobs are being cut. But, on the other hand, promotions to the rank of Superintendent are being allowed. It would have been a positive sign to support staff by Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority if these promotions had  been kept on hold and the savings used to keep police staff  doing their jobs.

George McIrvine, UNISON Police Staff Branch Secretary said:
"Police Officers are already very fortunate because their jobs are protected from the cuts as Officer numbers cannot go below 17234 Officers. The hundreds of thousands of pounds going in promotions could be used as savings to save support staff from redundancy".

Gerry Crawley added:
"Surely if Support Staff are facing redundancy and cuts to their jobs and living standards it wouldn't be too great a sacrifice for Senior Police Officers to postpone these promotions until the end of the current financial crisis".  

Note to Editors:
At the Scottish Police Authority meeting in Aberdeen yesterday (Wednesday 30 October 2013) the financial crisis facing the Police Service of Scotland was highlighted when it was reported that £139m will need to be saved, through cuts, to balance the books in the next 2 years. Over 84% of Police Costs are staffing costs and Support Staff are the only group of workers in Police Scotland facing redundancy. 

For  further information contact
George McIrvine, Secretary of UNISON Police Staff Scotland, 07842 542 677
Gerry Crawley, UNISON Regional Organiser for Police 07958 121 805

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