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Vote for strike by police control room staff
10:40am Saturday 5th July 2008
VITAL Hampshire police control room staff have voted for strike action in a dispute over working practices.
Civilian workers are unhappy about major changes the police want to introduce this month at the control room at Netley, near Southampton.
Around 110 of the 160 civilian personnel are Unison members and were balloted last month.
Of the 69 who voted, 77 per cent were in favour of industrial action including a strike while 83 per cent backed action short of a strike.
Police chiefs say any action would not affect the 999 service or the time taken to respond to emergencies.
Under the proposals, the shift pattern will change from 48 hours over four days to 60 hours over six days. The union says that will cost each worker between £65-90 a month in lost overtime, cause them to lose 38 rest days a year and force them to undertake 76 additional journeys to and from work.
Peter Terry, Unison regional organiser, said: "Sixty-nine votes out a 110 was a good response.
Having more than 80 per cent in favour shows how strongly people feel about being imposed upon and the detriment they will suffer as a result."
The union and police will meet onMonday. Unison must give a week's notice of a strike and take any action within a month of the result of the ballot becoming known.
Deputy Chief Constable Ian Readhead said: "All 999 calls will still be answered and the response to emergencies will not be affected."
He added: "We have already prepared contingency plans in order to continue to provide a full emergency response service.
"Nevertheless it's disappointing that some of those Unison members within the control room who cast their vote have decided to vote for industrial action to pursue their interests.
"A strike will not remove the need for the constabulary to implement changes that are believed to have significant benefits.
"The new shift pattern for the control room is already worked by colleagues across much of the force."
Your Say YourEcho
Andy, Locks Heath says...
2:48pm Fri 4 Jul 08
By the way Southy - if we worked a 30 hour week we'd lose our entire industrial sector to Eastern Europe and Asia throwing millions more onto the dole and leading to economic meltdown. Not a good move right now.
southy, redbridge says...
2:56pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Iain, Lordshill says...
2:58pm Fri 4 Jul 08
I can sympathise with the loss of rest days and extra journeys, but where in the private sector such changes might encourage you to look for a different job, the public sector, as usual, throw their toys out and go on strike.
Wolfy, says...
3:07pm Fri 4 Jul 08
If you don't like your working conditions, get a new job - simple.
southy, redbridge says...
3:09pm Fri 4 Jul 08
because the way your looking at it,its the lower staff that will lose out while the top gain more
Wolfy sucks, says...
3:13pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Wolfy wrote:What a stupid quote, very idiotic and unthoughtout.
Strikes should be made illegal. If you don't like your working conditions, get a new job - simple.
So everyone should never stick up for themselves and just let people tell them what to do?!
Confused.com, says...
3:16pm Fri 4 Jul 08
southy wrote:Your argument doesn't make sense - who are the people gaining?
ok how about if they all had a 40 hour week with no over time,and make them employ more people. because the way your looking at it,its the lower staff that will lose out while the top gain more
Dick Shonary, says...
3:19pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Wolfy sucks wrote:Is unthoughtout a real word?
Wolfy wrote: Strikes should be made illegal. If you don't like your working conditions, get a new job - simple.What a stupid quote, very idiotic and unthoughtout. So everyone should never stick up for themselves and just let people tell them what to do?!
southy, redbridge says...
3:19pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Dick Heed, says...
3:22pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Dick Shonary wrote:Oh no another spelling a grammar checking, tit head.
Wolfy sucks wrote:Is unthoughtout a real word?Wolfy wrote: Strikes should be made illegal. If you don't like your working conditions, get a new job - simple.What a stupid quote, very idiotic and unthoughtout. So everyone should never stick up for themselves and just let people tell them what to do?!
Go and flush your head down the ****.
I understood what they meant so why couldn't you.
Osama Bin Laden, A Cave far far away says...
3:23pm Fri 4 Jul 08
G. Rammar, says...
3:29pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Me, Over here says...
3:29pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Richard Heed, - don't be so blasted rude. says...
3:34pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Bambi, says...
4:06pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Richard Heed wrote:So by extension, then, you don't think that the opinions of dyslexics and illiterates are worthwhile? It's often said that once one starts to criticise the literacy of others, one has run out of anything else to say
Spelling and grammar are really quite important when one is attempting to impart their opinion by the written word.
pete, says...
4:15pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Bambi wrote:Well done bambi
Richard Heed wrote: Spelling and grammar are really quite important when one is attempting to impart their opinion by the written word.So by extension, then, you don't think that the opinions of dyslexics and illiterates are worthwhile? It's often said that once one starts to criticise the literacy of others, one has run out of anything else to say
southy, redbridge says...
4:20pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Gilmore, Shirley, Southampton says...
4:31pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Right-wingers can justify this to themselves by saying police shouldn't have the right to strike. Well, if the control room staff all left and got new jobs, we'd all be in right state... New staff would have to be recruited and trained which could take months. Fair play to the strikers for sticking up for themselves.
Richard Heed, - don'be so blasted rude says...
4:33pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Your assumption by extension is totally incorrect.
Bambi, says...
5:13pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Richard Heed wrote:Not in the slightest, I'm afraid. Spelling and grammar are important to the written word in general, but neither add to nor detract from opinions carried by the written word. You implied that this was not the case
My point contained nothing to denigrate any individuals'opinion.
Your assumption by extension is totally incorrect.
showing interest, somewhere out there says...
5:40pm Fri 4 Jul 08
It would be interesting to hear from those working the new shift pattern about how it works, travelling to work in peak hours, eating 3 meals a day at work,etc.
Any info please?
hoo flung dung, southampton says...
8:25pm Fri 4 Jul 08
just like it does when they are there!
Betty, Winchester HQ says...
11:02pm Fri 4 Jul 08
The new shift pattern is not working in the Force Enqurity Centre - more stress, more fatique, more sickness and the call volumes are actually getting worse in terms of waiting times instead of better as promised under this "new" shift pattern. In fact FEC staff are having their shifts changed on almost a weekly basis to cover the discrepancies in call handling that this new shift pattern has created!! Is something now not obvious to those paid highly enough to notice these things????
Hopefully, Unison will now ballot those of us who work at FEC for similar industrial action.
Ultimately, we could even dream there might be a change of senior management at both CWUN and FEC.
(Does this mean Professional Standards will now track me down and discipline me????)
Jaded controller, Some where in the west says...
11:28pm Fri 4 Jul 08
There is still going to be a lot of overtime on offer.(I've seen the new overtime list)
How much overtime anyone will want to do after a 60 hour week who knows. Personally, I don't think I'll be able to face another minute in the room after 6 days, and I officially love this job.
As has been said, contractual overtime was not voluntary, you had to do it if you were full time.
Its hard to give an example of how this works in a conventional job.
Its like being told to do 7.5 hours a day instead of 8, but having to then do an extra day to make it 6 in a row.
On paper, you will be doing less hours a week, mainly because its now an 8 day week (including your days off) which alters the average, in reality you'll never notice it though because now you need to do a 6 day week.
And for that pleasure, it'll cost you 3.5% of your pay.
The strike is not in reality about the new shift pattern. It is much more about it costing us personally for it to be implemented.
With all due respect to the DCC, it's disappointing that staff in the control has had to vote for action in order to fight to prevent pay taking a significant turn for the worse, but hey ho, you take the card you're dealt. It would have taken very little change to the new shift pattern to make any reduction in pay so small it would have been much less painful for us, and not worth fighting over.
Oh well, come next years annual payrise, we'll maybe be back on the same pay we were on 2 years ago. Good job prices are not going up much. :-(
?, says...
1:19am Sat 5 Jul 08
showing interest wrote:"eating 3 meals a day" on this shift pattern? Are you serious? You clearly don't know much about the life of a police officer!
BBC have quoted the deputy chief constable thus "The new shift pattern for the control room is already worked by colleagues across much of the force." It would be interesting to hear from those working the new shift pattern about how it works, travelling to work in peak hours, eating 3 meals a day at work,etc. Any info please?
Big Boy, Hythe says...
5:42am Sat 5 Jul 08
???, soton says...
7:19am Sat 5 Jul 08
Thomas Downes, Southampton says...
7:39am Sat 5 Jul 08
Richard Heed wrote:
My point contained nothing to denigrate any individuals'opinion.
Your assumption by extension is totally incorrect.
Not in the slightest, I'm afraid. Spelling and grammar are important to the written word in general, but neither add to nor detract from opinions carried by the written word. You implied that this was not the case
It's getting really tedious having to put up with people squabbling over grammar; stick to the subject matter please.
Ian, bitterne park says...
8:29am Sat 5 Jul 08
Big Boy wrote:What an odd attitude Big Boy.
I work 84 hours a week regular, so it is physically possible. I would not appreciate the management messing about with my income stream, so would look for another job sharpish. Home life does suffer, so I would demand an uplift for that as well. Sounds like it is time for these people to get a better job. It always easier to get another job when you're already working!
In my experience people strike because they like the job and want to defend what they have got. That why they join unions to collectively defend their interests. It is always the long term staff who have been there for years. They would have left years ago otherwise so they must like their jobs.
People who come on here and hide behind the mantra 'if you dont like it leave' are the ones with no backbone or intelligence to actually stand up to their employer and to defend what is rightfully theirs; their good terms and conditions. They have had enough of being asked to be flexible when their employer doesnt return that flexibility to them.
Isnt it about time to be saying that it is employers holding the country to ransome not the unions?
Fair play to these workers.
Big Boy, Hythe says...
10:55am Sat 5 Jul 08
Big Cog, says...
11:20am Sat 5 Jul 08
Andy wrote:Agreed. These communist strikers need to get other jobs if they don't like their employer (that's you and me by the way). Back to minimum wage for many.
Unison say that the measures will cost up to £90pm in load overtime. Exactly. Overtime is an extra agreed by by employer and employee. Here Unison are regarding it as a right set in stone. Do you need reminding who is paying this overtime? It's not the Police Authority - It's you and me - the taxpayers, and quite frankly I'm sick of being overtaxed simply to pay the wages of public sector staff who strike when any efficiencies are introduced. By the way Southy - if we worked a 30 hour week we'd lose our entire industrial sector to Eastern Europe and Asia throwing millions more onto the dole and leading to economic meltdown. Not a good move right now.
Southy needs to look at France to see how shortening the working week works so well.
southy, redbridge says...
1:17pm Sat 5 Jul 08
southy, redbridge says...
1:21pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Ian, bitterne park says...
1:26pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Big Cog wrote:Big Cog and Andy.
Andy wrote: Unison say that the measures will cost up to £90pm in load overtime. Exactly. Overtime is an extra agreed by by employer and employee. Here Unison are regarding it as a right set in stone. Do you need reminding who is paying this overtime? It\'s not the Police Authority - It\'s you and me - the taxpayers, and quite frankly I\'m sick of being overtaxed simply to pay the wages of public sector staff who strike when any efficiencies are introduced. By the way Southy - if we worked a 30 hour week we\'d lose our entire industrial sector to Eastern Europe and Asia throwing millions more onto the dole and leading to economic meltdown. Not a good move right now.Agreed. These communist strikers need to get other jobs if they don\'t like their employer (that\'s you and me by the way). Back to minimum wage for many. Southy needs to look at France to see how shortening the working week works so well.
'Communist strikers', thats a nice intelligent comment, well thought out and based on real experience. Not!!
These trade unionists have the bottle to stand up to their employers. You two havent got the bottle to walk out the door.
Fair play to the union.
Big Cog, says...
1:35pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Ian wrote:I am not sure Andy used the phrase "communist strikers". I certainly did.
Big Cog wrote:Big Cog and Andy. 'Communist strikers', thats a nice intelligent comment, well thought out and based on real experience. Not!! These trade unionists have the bottle to stand up to their employers. You two havent got the bottle to walk out the door. Fair play to the union.Andy wrote: Unison say that the measures will cost up to £90pm in load overtime. Exactly. Overtime is an extra agreed by by employer and employee. Here Unison are regarding it as a right set in stone. Do you need reminding who is paying this overtime? It\'s not the Police Authority - It\'s you and me - the taxpayers, and quite frankly I\'m sick of being overtaxed simply to pay the wages of public sector staff who strike when any efficiencies are introduced. By the way Southy - if we worked a 30 hour week we\'d lose our entire industrial sector to Eastern Europe and Asia throwing millions more onto the dole and leading to economic meltdown. Not a good move right now.Agreed. These communist strikers need to get other jobs if they don\'t like their employer (that\'s you and me by the way). Back to minimum wage for many. Southy needs to look at France to see how shortening the working week works so well.
Actually I have left employers on three occasions over 25 years because I did not think I was being rewarded correctly. Why strike - if you are good get better employment elsewhere.
Fact is many of these people in desk based public sector employment are next to useless. You will note I used the term "desk based". These script following sheepoids aren't allowed to make decisions because they would make poor decisions day in day out.
I end up paying for their ineptitude and their inefficiency.
If they go on strike will anyone notice?
If they go on strike will anyone notice?
Worth repeating.
southy, redbridge says...
1:45pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Ian, bitterne park says...
1:57pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Stillyou can repeat
If they go on strike will anyone notice? as many times as you want. People choose to strike as a last resort and not to gain attention. I am not sure what point you are trying to make here.
I have left jobs before in my 28 year work history to get ot of a job I hate often to a lower paid job because that is all that is available.Its better to confront the boss with your issues rather than walk away.
Your other comment about desk based workers is clearly based on ignorance.
southy, redbridge says...
2:31pm Sat 5 Jul 08
poppy, says...
7:27am Sun 6 Jul 08
Big Boy wrote:How can you say these people need a better job, when your working 84 hours!? Surley it's you that needs a better job so you can earn as much as you do in a 37 week instead.......
I work 84 hours a week regular, so it is physically possible. I would not appreciate the management messing about with my income stream, so would look for another job sharpish. Home life does suffer, so I would demand an uplift for that as well. Sounds like it is time for these people to get a better job. It always easier to get another job when you're already working!
southy, redbridge says...
12:36pm Sun 6 Jul 08
Big Boy, Hythe says...
5:33am Mon 7 Jul 08
84 hours isn't so bad, you get used to it. Just think that your missus probably does far more each week keeping you & the sprogs fed & clean.
Davros, The Crucible escape pod says...
1:13pm Tue 8 Jul 08
Big Cog wrote:Yes they will bloody notice when they are being beaten up and they call 999 you dingbat.
Ian wrote:I am not sure Andy used the phrase "communist strikers". I certainly did. Actually I have left employers on three occasions over 25 years because I did not think I was being rewarded correctly. Why strike - if you are good get better employment elsewhere. Fact is many of these people in desk based public sector employment are next to useless. You will note I used the term "desk based". These script following sheepoids aren't allowed to make decisions because they would make poor decisions day in day out. I end up paying for their ineptitude and their inefficiency. If they go on strike will anyone notice? If they go on strike will anyone notice? Worth repeating.Big Cog wrote:Big Cog and Andy. 'Communist strikers', thats a nice intelligent comment, well thought out and based on real experience. Not!! These trade unionists have the bottle to stand up to their employers. You two havent got the bottle to walk out the door. Fair play to the union.Andy wrote: Unison say that the measures will cost up to £90pm in load overtime. Exactly. Overtime is an extra agreed by by employer and employee. Here Unison are regarding it as a right set in stone. Do you need reminding who is paying this overtime? It\'s not the Police Authority - It\'s you and me - the taxpayers, and quite frankly I\'m sick of being overtaxed simply to pay the wages of public sector staff who strike when any efficiencies are introduced. By the way Southy - if we worked a 30 hour week we\'d lose our entire industrial sector to Eastern Europe and Asia throwing millions more onto the dole and leading to economic meltdown. Not a good move right now.Agreed. These communist strikers need to get other jobs if they don\'t like their employer (that\'s you and me by the way). Back to minimum wage for many. Southy needs to look at France to see how shortening the working week works so well.
And for your info, imbecile, these people are comms CONTROLLERS, not call taker, meaning that they make decisions as to the grading of incidents etc, but I wouldn't expect a Daily Mail reading ignoramus like you to know that anyway.
southy, redbridge says...
3:11pm Tue 8 Jul 08
Big Boy wrote:this sounds normal right wing money grabber,3 houses,what is you do with those 3 house rent them out at high price above the norm,or do you let stand empty for most of the year like a holiday home,oh dont tell me you have boats to,it would sound right for you, you be just another idiot out on the water who do not know what he doing out there.your just greedy big cog and never thinks about other people,just your self.another thing is you dont spend any time with your kids where has i did,and its more than likey it be your kids that would wreak amok in the city.
Dearest Poppy & Southy, I work long hours because I want to. I have got three houses which I earned off of vastly inflated wages I managed to negotiate from prospective employers. These workers can do the same. Unions do not work as they just assist the dead legs to become even lazier. Collective bargaining means that these dead legs are riding on hard workers coat tails. I still recommend that they look for another job while they are working.
84 hours isn\'t so bad, you get used to it. Just think that your missus probably does far more each week keeping you & the sprogs fed & clean.
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southy, redbridge says...
2:35pm Fri 4 Jul 08