London: More than 300 civilian workers at the Metropolitan Police are on strike. They are protesting against a new attendance policy that affects their flexible working arrangements.

The staff, part of the referencing and vetting team, faced pay cuts if they didn’t comply. They wanted to keep working from home, as they had been doing.

The Public and Commercial Services union reported that the workers refused to return to the office for extra days they deemed unnecessary.

Matt Cane, general secretary of the Met’s Police Federation, noted the irony of the strike. He represents 30,000 officers who can’t strike over their pay and conditions.

Fran Heathcote, the PCS general secretary, expressed the workers’ frustration. They feel disrespected and ignored by management, prompting the strike.

Heathcote added that if their pay is docked, they might as well strike. She urged Met managers to listen to their concerns about the new policy.

The Met has plans in place to handle the strike. They assured that frontline services would remain unaffected.

A spokesperson expressed disappointment over the strike but emphasized their commitment to resolving the issue through dialogue with trade unions.

They have been discussing the new hybrid working policy for over a year. This policy aims to balance service to London with staff flexibility.

The Met believes the strike will not significantly impact policing. They will monitor the situation to minimize disruption.

Most staff are following the new policy, with only a small percentage from the vetting and referencing teams striking.

Public services like call handling will continue without interruption, thanks to contingency plans.

In light of recent scandals, the vetting team plays a vital role in restoring public trust in the police.