Three questions we’re often asked by colleagues who are considering becoming Fed reps are whether being part-time and/or on restricted duties would prevent someone from doing the role, whether rep duties mean being on call overnight, and how manageable the Federation workload is alongside a busy day job.
While various members ask these questions, our female colleagues raise them most often, which isn’t surprising given statistics that show many women are the primary carers for children and older relatives. Last year, we ran a survey with the Female Police Association to identify the perceived barriers to women standing as reps, and the results reinforced these concerns.
Reps' Views
We’re updating the information on our website about what being a rep entails and sharing real-life stories from some of our current reps in the hope of dispelling some of the myths. Ahead of that, we caught up with two of our female Fed reps, Lisa Scott-Savage and Alex Yates to get their views.
PC Lisa Scott-Savage
Lisa (pictured below) from C Division Wales and Midlands is one of our longest-serving female reps. She told us she waited until she felt the time was right for her to become a rep.
She said: “I put myself forward to be a rep as some colleagues were treated abysmally by PSD and I wanted to try and support officers through the process and make sure they are treated fairly and with respect.
“It’s all about trying to make time, sometimes that’s harder than at other times, particularly at the moment with the staffing issues in the day job. As long as colleagues know you are on the end of a phone, that’s the main thing.
“I do have to be honest and say that it’s not a role I could have done when my children were small as I didn’t have the flexibility or capacity. However, the role is very rewarding, and the training and support given from the Federation is excellent.”
Inspector Alex Yates
Alex recently began volunteering with the Federation, having been elected to the TFL Central committee. She recognises these concerns:
“I had wanted to get actively involved in the Federation for a long time, but I was always worried about balancing the role with my workload as well as home responsibilities, Alex told us.
One of the things that swayed me to volunteer was the realisation of how much it would help with my day job as well as how much my experience in policing, officer welfare etc, would be useful for the Federation.
“Personally, I am hoping to gain more knowledge of processes but also the chance to make a difference to individuals going through difficult times. Being very proud to be a BTP Police Officer, I am also keen to help support the organisation and act as a critical friend.
“Having been worried about balancing things previously, I have been happy to see the teamwork and support within the team and the Federation, and can see that I will be able to have the flexibility to manage my caseload.”
The role of a Federation Rep
The role of a Fed rep is varied and valuable. It can involve offering quick advice on terms and conditions or providing representation at a misconduct hearing.
Our Reps hold various roles, from firearms to dog handlers to CID, so they know the pressures of the job and the challenges officers can face. Fed Reps are volunteers who help colleagues with factual information on issues like pay, pensions, and grievances and offer moral support and advice to those struggling at work.
The answers to those top three questions
Q. I work part-time and am on restricted duties. Does that prevent me from becoming a Fed Rep?
A. Working arrangements are no barrier to becoming a rep. Furthermore, you are part of a wider team, so support and extra hands are available when needed.
Q. Does being a Fed Rep mean I will be called out at night? I have caring responsibilities to consider.
A. If a Fed Rep needs to be called out, it will likely be for a PIP incident, and we have a PIP on-call rota. On rare occasions, a Rep is asked to attend custody.
Q. Is the role manageable alongside frontline duties?
A. Currently, we have reps working in various roles, such as response, CID, firearms, and so on. Their Federation duties generally work well alongside their day jobs but as explained above, Reps are part of a wider team and can call on colleagues for support. Furthermore, the Machinery of Negotiation, which has been agreed with the Force, sets out the Federation tasks that will be afforded duty time.
Keen to support your colleagues?
If this has made the prospect of volunteering as a Fed rep a little more likely, please keep an eye on your inbox, our website, and social media channels. While Divisional Reps are elected every five years, individual elections are needed periodically as officers move on or change roles.
We will shortly share some stories from more of our current reps, who are happy to chat to you about their experiences.