London’s Police Watchdog Staff To Strike For Three Days After Being Given The Lowest Pay Rise Of Any City Hall Organisation

Workers responsible for scrutinising the Metropolitan Police and shaping London’s public safety strategy are set to walk out for three consecutive days this week in a dispute over pay.
Staff at the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, known as MOPAC, who are members of the PCS union will strike on Monday 24, Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 February after a ballot returned a 90% vote in favour of industrial action.
The dispute centres on a 2% pay award for 2025 to 2026, which the PCS union says amounts to a cut in real terms and represents the smallest increase handed to any organisation within the Greater London Authority group. Union officials say the figure compares poorly with awards given elsewhere across the GLA, with Metropolitan Police staff receiving 4.2%, London Assembly employees 3.2%, and core City Hall staff 2.5%.
The PCS has described the situation as a two-tier pay system, with MOPAC workers left at the bottom despite the significance of the work they carry out. Those affected are responsible for holding the Metropolitan Police to account, developing policy around violence against women and girls, commissioning support services for victims of crime, and shaping community safety strategies across the capital.
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said the workers involved were among those most committed to safer streets in London, but argued that undervaluing them risked undermining the systems designed to protect the public.
MOPAC acknowledged the dispute and said the 2% award had been made during a period of significant financial pressure that had also required reductions in both staffing and spending. The organisation said the figure had only been reached after six months of negotiations with the union and that it remained committed to offering competitive pay while acting responsibly with public funds.
A spokesperson added that MOPAC would continue talks with PCS representatives in an effort to resolve the standoff ahead of or during the planned strike period.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​