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UK Police to Protest Against New Conditions

Shortfatdyke

22:18 / 17.12.01

there's talk of the police working to rule and having protest marches against overtime cuts and stuff.

if marches go ahead, how would it work? do the police have to give themselves permission to demonstrate? what if they refused? would police have to, well, police the demo? would they then be scabbing? or should civilians be allowed to have a turn at shoving demonstrators around for a change? if it all gets nasty, would policemen be beating up their own colleagues in the back of cop vans?

i'm not being entirely serious here. but it's an unusual situation.

Fra Dolcino

08:41 / 18.12.01

Heh, its certainly an interesting one! Are police actually allowed to strike in the UK?

Little Mother

11:26 / 18.12.01

Technically everyone and nobody can strike in the UK. There is no right to strike but you are not breaking the law providing you have fufilled the requirements regarding union ballots and so on. If this is all in order the police couold strike but work to rule is the most likely option at this point which could still cause a lot of trouble but has less chance of winding up the general public.

tom-karika nukes it from orbit

11:28 / 18.12.01

I spose the army would ultimately have to police the police. They are the only ones who can't strike.

Fra Dolcino

11:57 / 18.12.01

I didn't think the poilice could strike. This is from the Police Federation magazine, July 2001:

There is not going to be a war between the Police Federation and David Blunkett. In the eight decades since the Federation was founded by an Act of Parliament, not one minute of one member's working time has been lost through a strike or a work to rule........ Apart from the fact that there are penal sanctions awaiting any officer minded to take such action, or anyone attempting to create disaffection among the police...... "

Illegal Striking: Now that could make an interesting scenario! Maybe they should call in the miners to deputise....

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