Why is the principle of indexation so important for Police Officers pay?
• In the absence of the right to strike it compensates for the lack of bargaining strength. • It has delivered nearly 30 years of harmonious industrial relations. • Since 1994 it has been based on a representative sample of non-manual private sector pay settlements. • The private-sector index is transparent and considered fair. • It has provided fair, not excessive, annual pay increases. • It is trusted by police officers to be fair. • It enables police officers to undertake their duties with confidence of fair treatment. CURRENT CLIMATE How has this dispute come about? Last year there was a failure to agree on the proposed award of 2.325% at an extraordinary meeting of the Police Negotiating Board and the matter was referred to conciliation, where both sides of the PNB again failed to reach agreement and the matter was then referred to arbitration. At the independent Police Arbitration Tribunal, the panel recommended a figure of 2.5% from September 1st. Arbitration is binding on both
