Police officers here frustrated over delayed pay rise

By Q Radio News

The police federation in Northern Ireland says officers are are at risk of being taken for granted, unless they're paid properly. 

It was recomended in June that police pay should be increased to reflect wages of staff in England and Wales. 

Stormont officials have yet to sign off on the measure - but earlier this week approved £36million to fund a 1% rise for health workers.

Mark Linday from the police federation says it's left many officers feeling under-valued. 

Mr Lindsay said: “There is no impediment or blockage to getting this long-running pay issue resolved. We know the Department of Justice has autonomy here and can sign off on the recommendations. 

“It should be done as a matter of urgency and not put on the long finger. The pay recommendations were made before the Summer and it’s unacceptable that months on, there is still no movement.

“Other public sector workers are having their pay increase dealt with, but Police pay appears to be left to gather dust in the departmental in-tray.  

Mr Lindsay said: “It’s time this was sorted out. Officers should have had the increase in their September pay, and now it’s virtually certain it will be delayed until well into the new Year.

“The local pay award should at least be in line with what was awarded in England and Wales, and we would contend that The Department of Justice also needs to ensure that the recommendations of the independent pay review body (PRRB) are implemented in full.

“Officers are long overdue what will no doubt be a meagre increase and it’s about time the Department realised that simple fact and took the appropriate action. The PSNI have confirmed affordability and have offered no impediment to the award being made and indeed backdated to 1st September.

“There is understandable annoyance and frustration being felt by my members. Put simply, they want to know when the pay increase will appear in their pay packets along with some reasonable explanation for the delay in implementing the recommendations of the pay review body.”