A union has warned that police staff could go on strike "for the first time" as they gathered in the city centre to protest over pay.

Around 100 members of the police – ranging from frontline officers to control room and custody workers – protested around George Square on Thursday, just outside Queen Street Station.

Demonstrators carried signs reading, “No Strike – Fair Pay”, as they argued pay talks between the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) and Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and the Scottish Government have reached a “crisis point”.

(Image: Robert Perry) The SPF is the organisation which represents more than 16,000 police officers across Scotland.

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By law, police officers are not allowed to take strike action, but police staff can. Officers can make the decision to withdraw goodwill, which essentially means working to contract.

(Image: Lucy Jackson) David Kennedy (below), general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) told the Glasgow Times that officers were feeling angry with the latest pay offer.

(Image: Lucy Jackson) “We can’t take industrial action, but we’re here and our officers are here on their day off to protest about the lack of a fair pay deal this year,” he said.

The latest pay offer for 2024/2025 is a 4.75% increase, falling short of the 5.5% increase originally proposed by the SPF.

(Image: Lucy Jackson) (Image: Lucy Jackson) Police officers in Scotland made the decision to withdraw their goodwill at the beginning of this month, which Kennedy said is costing the service at least £6 million a year “out of police officer’s pockets”.

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This means they will not work outside of their allotted hours, will not start shifts early and will not take personal protective equipment (PPE) or police equipment home with them.

(Image: Lucy Jackson) “The deal that we’re looking for would cost £9m extra,” Kennedy continued.

“We know that Police Scotland have used that money to bring in temporary contracts, and we have real questions to ask because of that.”

Justice Secretary Angela Constance previously said the Scottish Government believed the latest pay deal was "very fair”, adding: “Police officers in Scotland have consistently been the best paid in the UK.”

Yet the SPF argues it is “unfair” that while they were offered only 4.75%, NHS workers were offered 5.5% – which the organisation had originally proposed.

(Image: Lucy Jackson) Kennedy continued: “The real question to ask from the Scottish Government is why is it that we’re only getting offered 4.75%, yet the NHS receive 5.5%, and they’re the biggest pay bill for the whole of Scotland?

“It’s not just, and it’s not fair.”

'We're prepared to take strike action'

It wasn’t just frontline police officers protesting on Thursday, but a number of other staff working across the force.

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David Malcolm (below), branch secretary for Unison Police Staff Scotland, warned its members are prepared to take strike action should talks fail to progress.

(Image: Lucy Jackson)

“Our members take 999 calls, they work in control rooms, in the fleet and the garages, they keep cars on the road, they work in custody, they work in forensic services investigating crimes,” he said.

“All of this would come to a standstill with industrial action, which police staff have never done before.

(Image: Lucy Jackson) “It shows the strength of feeling, it really shows that people are really undervalued and unhappy.”

Meanwhile, the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS) also joined the protest, warning that "it will be a cold Christmas for Scotland's police officers" unless an improved offer is put on the table.

"We are already struggling with record low numbers of senior officers coupled with more demand and more risk than ever below," an ASPS spokesperson said.

"Our members will struggle to deliver the same service without the goodwill of federated colleagues. This will lead to increased cost and decreased output. 

"We call on the Scottish Government to do the right thing and come back to the table with an improved offer. It will be a cold Christmas for Scotland’s police officers, otherwise."

Both the Scottish Government and Police Scotland have said that talks remain ongoing.