We have previously advised our members in the Probation Service, that it’s now nearly 12 months since the joint probation unions submitted our pay claim for 2025 and eight months since the 2025 pay rise was due on 1 April. As we approach the start of December, there is still no news from HMPPS as to when we will see a pay offer.
It goes without saying that this delay is completely unacceptable and the inertia from the employer and government is a disgrace. While we are well aware that in the normal course of events the civil service is much slower than other public sector employers when it comes to making pay offers, the unions have not been able to get any answers as to why it is taking HMPPS so long to get approval from the Treasury to make a pay offer for this year. We know that HMPPS is making a special case for a pay offer above the government’s normal limit for 2025, but we were told this back in the summer. So why the ongoing delay?
Napo, UNISON and GMB met with the new Lord Chancellor David Lammy on 17th November and strongly pressed him on when our members could expect a pay offer. David Lammy continually stressed that he was doing everything he could to speed up the process and hoped to be able to see an offer appear before Christmas.
Napo ready to ballot members
Depending on the scope of the offer when it arrives, and the determination by Napo’s Probation Negotiating Committee, Napo is obviously committed to ensuring that our members have their say via a ballot. Obviously, the onset of the Christmas holiday presents logistical challenges in this regard, and we have factored this into our planning. The primary objective is to secure maximum turnout from our membership to provide us with a mandate for our next steps, so we will need to give careful consideration as to the timetable to enable a ballot to take place which meets our members best interests.
Napo national link officers and officials will be arranging meetings with your branch committees in the coming weeks to explain the next elements in the pay and workloads campaign as well as the latest updates on Health and Safety (see below) and explore any support that is needed in terms of member engagement.
We will be bringing you more news just as soon as we can.