Ben Twomey interviews Ben Priestley, a National Officer at Unison, discussing the challenges facing police staff in England and Wales. They explore the impact of budget deficits, the police uplift campaign, workforce pressures, and the importance of trade unions in advocating for better pay and conditions. The conversation highlights the need for a strategic workforce plan and the role of police staff in the overall policing framework.
Ben meets Ben to talk about trade unions, pay negotiations and the differences between officers and staff when it comes to collective bargaining and employment rights. Following this year’s accepted 4.75% pay offer for police staff, watch this in depth interview with Ben Priestley from UNISON, to understand the challenges facing the workforce from a union perspective.
You can find out more about UNISON on their website: https://www.unison.org.uk/
Takeaways
- Unison is the largest trade union for police staff in England and Wales.
- Police staff numbers have not fully recovered since austerity cuts.
- The police uplift campaign has led to officers filling staff roles.
- There is a lack of a clear workforce strategy for policing.
- Many police staff are considering leaving due to workload and pay issues.
- The new government has committed to increasing police presence in communities.
- Trade unions play a crucial role in advocating for police staff rights.
- Good pay and conditions are achieved through collective bargaining.
- Police officers are not allowed to join ordinary trade unions.
- There is a need for equitable pay reforms for police staff.
Sound Bites
- “You can never have too many Bens in your life.”
- “The future of police staff employment is uncertain.”
- “Police officers are occupying police staff jobs.”
Chapters
00:00 – Introduction to Unison and Police Staff Challenges
03:10 – The Impact of Police Uplift on Staffing
05:46 – Workforce Pressures and Future of Police Staff
09:12 – Government’s Commitment to Policing
12:10 – Pay Negotiations and Economic Pressures
14:59 – The Importance of Trade Unions for Police Staff
18:09 – Solidarity in the Policing Family
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