Police officers yesterday received their long-awaited pay award after three years of negotiations with Government.

Members of the Bermuda Police Association (BPA) were awarded 40 percent of their back-dated payout plus a salary increase and a $350 monthly housing allowance.

The payment covers 40 percent of a five percent salary increase for 2005-6 and 2006-7. Another 30 percent will be paid at the end of December (this will also cover a five percent salary increase for 2007-8) and the final 30 percent will come at the end of April. The three-year battle for a pay rise culminated in an Arbitration Award by the Permanent Police Tribunal in June, but this was then contested by Government which threatened to take certain rulings to judicial review.

On June 27, Police officers took the historic step of marching on Parliament in protest at Government's rejection of their binding Arbitration Award.

The demonstration coincided with a day of protest by thousands of other union members from across the country over pay and conditions. BPA members wanted a seven percent increase for each of the last three years, but last month agreed to a 5.8 percent one-off 'uplift' on their original pay in October 2005, plus a five percent increase for each year. Their pay rise for 2008-9 will be five percent.

As a result of the unanimous agreement, members will also get a $350-a-month housing allowance — backdated to October 2005, plus legal expenses in the event an officer has to appear in court for any incident during the execution of his or her duties.

Yesterday, BPA chairman Detective Constable Carl Neblett said: "The members are extremely relieved that there has been some conclusion to the entire process. Some people were wondering whether what happened with the teachers would happen to us. But Government made a promise to us and has lived up to that promise, and our members are quite happy there has been a positive result. "It shows the BPA and negotiating team have really worked feverishly with Government officials to resolve the impasse we reached."

Det. Con. Neblett was referring to the end of September, when the Bermuda Union of Teachers held an emergency meeting after some members did not receive their five percent pay increase for 2008-9, as per the August 2007 Arbitration Award.

The situation was eventually resolved by Government making the payments. There is still an unresolved issue between the BPA and Government as to whether officers' Combined Allowance pay is pensionable.

The BPA wants the Combined Allowance, ten percent of an officer's salary, to be made pensionable, as per the Permanent Police Tribunal's Arbitration Award. But Government claims the Tribunal exceeded its jurisdiction in this ruling and may seek a judicial review at Supreme Court. The matter is still in talks.