Met Police staff are set to go on strike for six more days in a dispute over pay and working conditions, the London Evening Standard reports. The strikes, which are set to begin on 6 June, will cause disruption to policing across London, with thousands of officers and staff expected to take part. The dispute has been ongoing for several months, with the Met Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, arguing that their members are being unfairly penalised for not meeting the standards of their more affluent counterparts in other police forces. The federation has been seeking a 5% pay rise for its members, while the Home Office has offered a 2% increase. The Home Office has stated that it is committed to paying officers fairly, but cannot afford to give them the pay rise they are seeking. The strikes are expected to cause significant disruption to policing in London, with the Met Police warning that it may not be able to respond to all emergency calls during the period of the strike. The Met Police Federation has said that it will continue to negotiate with the Home Office in an attempt to reach a resolution to the dispute.
The dispute has been ongoing since December, with the Met Police Federation arguing that its members are being unfairly penalised for not meeting the standards of their more affluent counterparts in other police forces. The federation has been seeking a 5% pay rise for its members, while the Home Office has offered a 2% increase. The Home Office has stated that it is committed to paying officers fairly, but cannot afford to give them the pay rise they are seeking.
The Met Police Federation has said that it will continue to negotiate with the Home Office in an attempt to reach a resolution to the dispute. The federation has also warned that it may be forced to take further industrial action if a resolution is not reached.
The Met Police is one of the largest police forces in the UK, with over 40,000 officers and staff. The force has a budget of over £3.5 billion per year, and is responsible for policing a population of over 8.9 million people. The strike will cause significant disruption to policing in London, with the Met Police warning that it may not be able to respond to all emergency calls during the period of the strike.