Police officers will discuss whether they want access to “full industrial rights” – which could see them strike for the first time in more than a century.
As crown servants, officers are banned from taking industrial action.
But years of bitter battles over pay and conditions, and an alarming spike in verbal and physical assaults, has seen a plunge in morale.
A record 9,192 officers quit from 43 forces in England and Wales in the year ending March 2023.
Today, at the start of the Police Federation of England and Wales annual conference, members will be gauged on whether the policing union should push to align the Thin Blue Line with doctors, nurses, train drivers and the postal service.
Steve Hartshorn, national chair, said: “At some point we will be asking members about whether they want us to seek…enhanced industrial rights.”
He went on: “We will have to inform members about the pros and cons…If you get the right to strike, you possibly have the right to be made redundant.” If a ballot was in favour, the PFEW, which represents 145,000 members, could investigate taking the Government to the UK and European courts to demand full and recognised industrial rights.
Mr Hartshorn said: “We know some police forces around Europe have the ability to withdraw labour in certain aspects.
“For example, they have the right to withdraw labour for non-emergency calls, which could mean things like Notting Hill Carnival, Bonfire Night celebrations, and Christmas parades, because they are not emergency related.”
The move would rock a Government which over the past two years has seen almost every area of the public sector brought to its knees by strikes, including the railways and NHS. Many disputes remain unresolved.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman is due to speak at the PFEW conference tomorrow.
