Met Police Staff to Strike on New Year’s Eve – Emergency Calls at Risk
London faces chaos this New Year’s Eve as 175 Metropolitan Police staff launch a 25-hour strike starting 6am on December 31. Call handlers, office workers, fleet servicemen, and technicians from central command will walk out, risking delays to emergency calls on one of the capital’s busiest nights.
Pay Snub Fuels Walkout Despite Officers’ Raise
While Met police officers snagged a 4.2% pay bump, staff outside uniform face a pay freeze for 2025/26. Unite union reveals staff were offered 3.8% or 4.2%, but only with brutal cuts to terms and conditions behind the scenes.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham: “It is unacceptable that our members in the Met are the only workers in UK police forces that have not yet had their pay rise. The Met dangled the carrot of a pay rise but also offered the stick of attacks on workers’ terms and conditions. Unite won’t stand for this.”
Union Warns of Chaos to Emergency Services
Unite warns the strike will cause serious disruption to New Year’s Eve policing, delaying emergency responses. Staff say they’re paying the price for cuts and poor Met management beyond their control.
Unite Regional Officer Keith Henderson: “We know Londoners will be concerned to hear about strikes on New Year’s Eve, but our members feel they have no choice. The Met could stop this strike by offering a fair pay rise without undermining workers’ terms and conditions.”
Met Police Stay Silent as Strike Threatens New Year’s Eve
The Met has stayed tight-lipped despite calls for comment. With millions relying on fast emergency help during London’s biggest night, the looming strike could turn a night of celebration into chaos.
