By Graeme Strachan and Steven Bell

THE POLICE control room in Tayside faces widespread chaos next week if support staff strike over pay, it was claimed last night.

Police operations in Tayside and Fife will be disrupted after civilian support staff across the country voted in favour of 24-hour strike action.

The strike ballot, the first ever by Scottish police support staff, came after pay talks broke down last month.

A senior member of Unison in Tayside last night predicted the control room; forensic science laboratory and IT department would struggle if support staff walked out.

“Ninety percent of the control room is staffed by civilians and they don’t have enough trained or experienced police officers to cope with the volume of calls coming in,” said the union official, who declined to be named.

“They will have enough to cover 999 calls. However, they won’t have enough staff to cover non-emergency calls.

“In Tayside we’ll be struggling with regards communications.

“We have a high trade union membership within the Tayside control room and forensic science labs and IT.”

The senior Unison official said that although the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland) are keen to get a resolution, CoSLA is holding up the pay talks.

“Unless there is an 11th hour pay deal, strike action will go ahead as planned,” he warned.

“There will be widespread disruption, notably in Edinburgh during the festival and Tattoo, and also Strathclyde due to the very nature of the size of the place.

There are almost 4000 police staff in Scotland, delivering professional, technical and administrative back-up to police officers in control rooms, forensic science labs, at scenes of crimes and in police stations.

The historic two-to-one vote by Scottish members of Unison—a move described yesterday as “stunning”—follows a breakdown in pay talks last month.

With employers offering 2.95% and 2.5% for pay rises over the next two years, almost 70% voted in favour of the first strike ever in Scotland’s police staff negotiations.

The senior Unison official in Tayside said the employers stated 2.95% and 2.5% was all they could afford but the trade union knows “for a fact” that forces have budgeted for 3-3.4%.

The 24-hour action is scheduled to take place a week from today.

“This is a stunning vote that expresses exactly the frustration that police staff feel,” said Raymond Brown, who chairs the trade union negotiators.

“It is especially frustrating as we know that chief constables want to resolve this issue—and that police forces can afford a better offer.

“We hope that our employers take the opportunity today to improve an offer that has already been rejected.”

A meeting of the Police Staffs Council took place yesterday at CoSLA in Edinburgh. Further details regarding any proposed industrial action will be announced later.

Unison regional organiser (police), Peter Veldon, said, “Police staff are crucial in providing effective policing in Scotland.

“They do not want to strike. The fact that they have never voted for action before proves that. However, they have now said clearly they will not lie down and be treated unfairly compared to other public sector workers in Scotland.”

Individual police forces referred inquiries on the Unison vote to the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland).

Chairman of personnel and training business, Central Scotland Chief Constable Andrew Cameron, said they were “disappointed” by the announcement.

He continued, “We have been planning for this for several weeks to ensure that frontline policing continues as normal.

Mr Cameron added, “There are contingency plans in place and we are aiming for minimum disruption during this 24-hour period…

“We remain committed to ensuring the streets of Scotland are safe for everyone and this brief spell of industrial action will not impact adversely on this.”