At yesterday’s debate at the Trades Union Congress in Brighton where Yvonne Pattison and Ian Lawrence are representing Napo, we voted in favour of motions calling for affiliate trade unions to support the campaign to break the public sector pay cap. This campaign will be officially launched on 17th October with regional and London rallies and a Parliamentary Lobby (further details to follow).
More pay for Police and Prison Officers but what about Probation and Family Court staff?
Napo members across all of the 24 employers where Napo is recognised will have reacted with anger at yesterday’s news of this minority government’s derisory offer to lift the pay cap in respect of Police and Prison Officers which their respective union leaders have described as an insult.
Our members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are among the millions of public service workers who have suffered from the austerity driven pay policy that has been in place since 2010 which in turn has seriously devalued your pay and your standard of living.
This has heaped further pressure on our members who, despite having different employers, have faced the common problems of workloads, increased stress and inept political leadership from a government that simply does not understand the value of the vital contribution that our members make to society.
Officer Group to consider a recommendation to ballot members
In light of the above developments Yvonne and I will be urgently reporting the outcomes of the TUC debates on pay to Napo’s Officer Group. We can also report that both of our motions on the crisis in Probation were unanimously carried
We will also be making a firm recommendation that Napo ballots our membership on a consultative basis to explore your willingness to take industrial action in support of the TUC Campaign to break the Public Sector Pay Cap.
Subject to that recommendation being agreed, more information will be issued to our members shortly.
Standing together
A major theme at the TUC this week has been the need for working people across Britain to stand together in the face of increasing attacks on their pay, terms and conditions and the pay cap policy which is designed to set particular groups of public service workers against others. We believe that Napo should have no truck with such clearly divisive strategies and that all public service workers should receive a decent pay rise.
This makes it vital for all Napo members to seriously consider what may be needed in order for your union to play its part in a progressive campaign of opposition against this insidious policy.
Ask someone to join Napo today
Whether you work in the NPS, a CRC, CAFCASS or Probation Board Northern Ireland, Napo is working every day to help defend our members against the impact of regressive policies on pay, and attempts by employers to get more from you while they give you less.
Please offer a copy of this statement to a colleague who you may know who is not currently a Napo member.
Together we are stronger.
Ian Lawrence Yvonne Pattison
General Secretary Napo Co-Chair
13th September 2017