Shadow Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley has blasted Government for riding roughshod over a binding tribunal on Police pay and has predicted it could spark sick-outs and a work to rule.

Mr. Dunkley pointed to a section in the Police Act which said that every Tribunal award 'shall be binding upon the parties'.

He told The Royal Gazette: "I think it is the first time ever that it has been sent there and the Government has rejected the offer. It's absolutely ridiculous. It is unconscionable that something like this could happen.

"The panel met, took submissions from both sides. I don't understand the Government's reasons for rejecting it and looking at other options."

The head of that tribunal - former Progressive Labour Party MP Arthur Hodgson - did not return calls this week.

Mr. Dunkley added: "You can't just reject it outright and go to a judicial review - that means every time you don't like what's happened you change the rules.

"I would wonder if we are not going to see a little bit of the 'blue 'flu' that we had a number of years back - when we had similar problems affecting morale.

"Police don't have many options - they can't go on strike, they are an essential service but they can call in sick and they can refuse overtime. And that would be to the detriment of the community.

"I am not saying they would do that but when your back is pushed up against a wall you consider your options and they must be very frustrated and disappointed."

The contract Police and Government were negotiating was already massively late and would expire in August, said Mr. Dunkley.

He added: "Here we are two months away from the end of the contract and we are still at odds over the differences?

"We should now be in another bargaining period. Legislation was set up to try and prevent this type of thing happening, but this Government has seen fit to do its own thing. I think it's a sad day."

He said stalled pay talks would further harm plummeting morale just when Government was struggling to boost recruitment to tackle law and order and road safety.

Mr. Dunkley called on Sen. Burch to explain why Government had rejected the pay deal which would come as a blow to attracting more officers.

"People are going to look at their options and say 'why would I join an organisation when it can never get a contract on time?'."

"This Government has taken it upon themselves to do things their way without any real consideration of what the people want - in this case we are talking about the Police.

"I think they need to explain to the community the reasons for taking this approach.''

"If you are trying to attract staff like the Police are you have to look at your conditions of service and rates of pay."

He said the Minister was bound to say he was seeking clarification but he added: "The Minister is not happy with what the tribunal said and they are trying to get out of it in any way they can."