Metropolitan Police civilian staff to be balloted on strike over pay and allowance dispute

Civilian staff employed by the Metropolitan Police will be balloted on whether to take strike action in a dispute over pay and a withheld London allowance, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said.

The union said about 6,500 of its members who work for the Met will vote in the coming weeks on launching an industrial campaign after being denied a £1,250 London allowance that is paid to police officers. PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote accused the force of treating civilian staff as "second-class" employees.

"While management promotes the idea of 'One Met', police staff are consistently treated as second-class on pay, promotion and job security," Heathcote said. "Officers receive the allowance and free travel while many of our dedicated members who support them struggle to make ends meet in one of the most expensive cities in the world. It's time to transform 'One Met' from empty rhetoric into reality, creating a workplace that guarantees fairness, equality and respect for all."

The PCS union framed the withheld payment as a symbol of inequality within the force, asserting that civilian roles that support frontline policing are essential but undervalued. The Met Police was approached for comment on the ballot and the union's allegations.

The ballot will determine whether the union's members proceed with industrial action, though the union did not specify dates for any potential strikes. If a majority supports action, the union could proceed with coordinated measures intended to press management for change on pay, allowances and related conditions.

Civilian staff in police forces typically work in a range of administrative, technical and specialist roles that support operational officers. The PCS campaign highlights a longstanding debate within UK public services over differential pay and benefits between uniformed officers and civilian employees, particularly in high-cost areas such as London.

The dispute adds to wider pressures on public-sector pay talks in the UK, where unions have in recent years pursued ballots and strikes across health, education and transport sectors. The outcome of the ballot in the Met will determine whether those tensions extend further into policing support services.

The Met Police has not publicly responded to the PCS announcement at the time of the ballot call. The union said it would provide members with further information about the timetable for voting in the coming weeks.