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Fuel Protests - something to think on....
karlo:
From Virgin News.....
Police hold emergency talks over pay offer
Police officers are holding emergency talks which could see them demand the right to strike over a bitter pay row.
The talks will pile pressure on the Government over its refusal to backdate a 2.5 per cent pay rise to September 1 - a decision which the Police Federation claims effectively reduces the increase to 1.9 per cent.
Officers from each of the 43 forces in England and Wales will look at what action they can take over the dispute.
They will be joined by representatives from all police staff associations including the Police Superintendent's Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers.
Senior Police Federation members have already taken legal advice on whether any industrial action could be taken to force the Government's hand.
Police officers are banned from striking by an act of Parliament although some Federation members have called for a ballot to demand it is removed.
Association of Chief Police Officers president Ken Jones said Government ministers should not underestimate the tensions felt by officers on the pay issue.
He said: "I feel we are not giving sufficient weight to the fact that cops don't enjoy the ordinary rights of other workers in terms of industrial action."
pux:
so when will the forces be allowed to cause a uproar about are pay :roll: :roll: :roll: Answer never :roll: :roll: :roll:
Lord Shagg-Pyle:
here is a little snippet that I found on the Web about our righteous and upstanding MP's.
Yes, I am slightly miffed about the current pay deal for the Police, the current hike in fuel prices, the lack of pay increases for the Armed Forces and numerous other matters.
As you can see it is a little bit dated, but hey! Nothing changes!
Tony Blair's Government is forever designing new initiatives to deter welfare fraud. They encourage us to inform on cheats.
Those caught applying for welfare payments to which they're not entitled face prosecution and - in some cases - prison sentences.
Quite right, too. But have you noticed an odd omission when it comes to prosecuting those who falsely claim public money?
Prime Ministers, Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, ordinary MPs and peers routinely claim expenses which are excessive - or fraudulent, in the accepted meaning of that word - but nothing can be done about it.
If you and I make a claim for Government money which seems excessive, it's investigated. If they find we've set out to cheat them, we're prosecuted.
Last year, our 659 MPs racked up expenses totalling £78 million, averaging £120,000 each.
The 20 costliest MPs - 16 Labour, two SNP, one Liberal Democrat and one Conservative - claimed housing and travel expenses ranging from £142,977 to £168,889.
The average MP claimed expenses of £118,437 (on top of their £57,485 salary and generous pension scheme) to pay for staff, office expenses, second homes, travel and computers. Their expenses have soared by more than a third since 2002.
Scandalously, these extraordinary-claims won't be investigated. Why not? Because no politician can be prosecuted for fiddling their expenses. When Tory MP Michael Trend was accused of doing so by the Mail on Sunday, he repaid £90,000 and decided to stand down at the next election.
Chancellor Gordon Brown has devised ever more ingenious ways of siphoning money from the expenses of companies and private individuals but none which apply to his fellow politicians. We're told we should congratulate ourselves on having the cleanest public life in the world. "Look how little corruption there is here compared with other countries in Europe," they say.
The reason for this perception is that political corruption as such isn't illegal here. The worst that can happen to a minister caught using the powers of his office improperly is that he or she may have to resign. In other countries, it's prison.
Peter Mandelson twice had to resign his Cabinet job after allegations to the effect that he had misused his ministerial position. On neither occasion was it a matter to be investigated by the police. Moreover, it didn't stop his friend, the Prime Minister, getting him a cosy, highly-paid public job in Brussels.
Biodiesel-Bev:
--- Quote from: "karlo" ---From Virgin News.....
Police hold emergency talks over pay offer
Police officers are holding emergency talks which could see them demand the right to strike over a bitter pay row.
The talks will pile pressure on the Government over its refusal to backdate a 2.5 per cent pay rise to September 1 - a decision which the Police Federation claims effectively reduces the increase to 1.9 per cent.
Officers from each of the 43 forces in England and Wales will look at what action they can take over the dispute.
They will be joined by representatives from all police staff associations including the Police Superintendent's Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers.
Senior Police Federation members have already taken legal advice on whether any industrial action could be taken to force the Government's hand.
Police officers are banned from striking by an act of Parliament although some Federation members have called for a ballot to demand it is removed.
Association of Chief Police Officers president Ken Jones said Government ministers should not underestimate the tensions felt by officers on the pay issue.
He said: "I feel we are not giving sufficient weight to the fact that cops don't enjoy the ordinary rights of other workers in terms of industrial action."
--- End quote ---
Come the Revolution.....Bring it on!
karlo:
More from Virgin News
Police to be balloted over pay row strike
Every police officer in the UK is to be balloted on whether they want to lobby for the right to strike, following talks over a bitter pay row.
Police officers are banned from striking by an act of Parliament but an emergency meeting has been held in central London by members of the Police Federation to discuss the Government's refusal to backdate a 2.5 per cent pay rise.
A spokesman for the Police Federation of England and Wales said the vote will be conducted among all officers, including those in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is likely to take place in the first three months of 2008.
Senior police officers from the 43 forces in England and Wales also called for the Home Secretary's immediate resignation after a no-confidence vote in the ability of Jacqui Smith to deal with their pay or conditions.
The Police Federation claims the Goverment's refusal to backdate the salary increase to September 1 effectively reduces the increase to 1.9 per cent.
Of the no-confidence vote, chairman of Sussex Police Federation, Detective Inspector Brian Stockham, said: "It is a very simple message - we have no trust or confidence in the Home Secretary. She has treated us with disdain and contempt."
He said the crucial blow had been a leaked letter between Ms Smith and the Treasury, which indicated that the pay settlement had been a significant break from the previous system.
"She claims she has the high moral ground, but in fact she is in the low foothills of morality because she has treated the national negotiators preposterously."
Alan Gordon, vice chairman of the Police Federation, said: "What's coming through from representatives around the country is police officers do not want to go on strike. They do not want to do anything that will jeopardise the safety of people in this country."
The Police Federation said protest rallies will take place in London and Redditch in coming weeks to ramp up pressure on the Government.
Les Gray, chairman of Strathclyde Police Federation, said his members are "very aggrieved" over the pay settlement for their colleagues south of the border.
He said Ms Smith had "betrayed" police officers in England and Wales with a 1.9 per cent settlement.
He said: "I cannot believe the way my colleagues from the rest of the UK have been treated."
Stan Hebborn, of Surrey Police Federation, said: "My members are unhappy that they have been offered something which has very quickly been taken away before it had been delivered.
"The issue is not the amount of money, which is between £150 and £200 per individual. It is more the fact the whole process has been reneged upon.
"There are greater things on the horizon we need to discuss. At the moment, we need to find out exactly what my members want from the Home Secretary."
Senior Police Federation members have already taken legal advice on whether any industrial action could be taken to force the Government's hand.
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