Striking Sussex Police staff have ‘had enough’

Sussex Police staff are set to take part in the first police strike in 25 years on Monday December 22.
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Staff that are members of UNISON will stage a 24-hour strike starting at midnight.

The strike is in support of a campaign to re-open pay talks to improve the employers’ 1 per cent pay increase offer for 2014.

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This will be followed by four weeks of action short of strike action, from Monday January 5 to Sunday February 1, in the form of a ban on voluntary overtime.

Police workers striking include PCSOs, 999 call takers, scenes of crime officers, fingerprint experts, financial investigators, detention officers, crime reduction officers, crime analysts, enquiry desk officers, trainers and criminal justice clerks.

In total, 60 per cent voted yes for industrial action and 80 per cent voted for action short of strike action in a ballot which closed on December 2.

UNISON regional organiser Caroline Villiers said: “Police staff have been hit hard by the cost of living crisis.

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“It is rare for police staff to take industrial action and the strike is a clear sign that they’ve had enough.

“For many of our members it will be the first time they have ever taken industrial action over pay.

“The last time police members struck in relation to pay was 25 years ago in 1989.”