NEARLY 900 police community support officers and civilians who work for West Yorkshire Police may go on strike.

They are members of the public sector union Unison and are angry at shift changes they say will be imposed on them from Monday May 12.

They say the changes could lead to some working a seven-day week amounting to 63 hours.

Police chiefs say the old shifts did not meet the needs of the job and were wasteful.

Unison is now balloting on strike action and the decision will be known by the end of next week.

The staff affected include police community support officers, police station help desk staff, detention officers and communication workers.

Rachel Hemingway, the joint secretary of Unison’s West Yorkshire Police branch, said: “Unison is extremely angry and disappointed by the actions of the Chief Constable, Sir Norman Bettison, who has chosen to impose a new shift pattern on its members.

“Unison believes the changes are nothing more than a cost-cutting exercise and one that is based on ‘more for less’.

“The changes will leave Unison members tired, demoralised and suffering from ill-health. The changes will include seven-day working and a 63-hour week.

“Unison believes these savage measures and cuts to a public service will not deliver an improved service to the public.’’

But West Yorkshire Assistant Chief Constable David Evans – in charge of workforce and professional Standards – hit back strongly.

He said: “People tell us they want more officers on the street.

“The new shift patterns let us do that by having new Neighbourhood Police teams working until 11pm seven days a week.

“The old shift pattern couldn’t give us this and was wasteful, with staff working overlaps during the day, not when most needed.

“We have been speaking with the unions about changes to the shift patterns for nearly a year.’’

He said police officers had been working the new shift patterns since March.

He added: “We know that change can be unsettling for some, but we have to give the public the service they want. These changes are intended to do this.’’