Staff at the Metropolitan Police call centre have initiated a 25-hour strike on New Year’s Eve due to a pay dispute.

According to the trade union Unite, around 175 of its members commenced industrial action at 06:00 GMT, coinciding with one of the year’s busiest times for London’s emergency services.

The participants in the strike include call handlers who document crime reports, as well as technicians and administrative personnel who assist in servicing and dispatching police vehicles.

The Metropolitan Police stated that they have planned for this action and do not anticipate any significant disruption to policing efforts.

Unite highlighted that its members decided to strike due to the lack of a pay increase from the Met for the 2025-26 period. This comes despite the Met granting a 4.2% pay raise to police officers, while other UK forces also provided the same increase to their officers and staff.

The union noted that the Met had proposed two preliminary offers: a “below-RPI pay increase” of 3.8% or a 4.2% increase that hinges on workers agreeing to significantly worse conditions.

Last year, it was reported that the cost of policing New Year’s Eve for the Met was nearly £2.3 million, according to the union.

Unite remarked, “Given the importance of this night for policing, strike action is likely to cause considerable disruptions, including delays in emergency response times.”

A spokesperson for the Met Police reassured that “the vast majority of our personnel will be collaborating with their police officer colleagues” and they “do not foresee” any service level disruptions beyond the usual on New Year’s Eve.

“The operations surrounding New Year’s Eve are among the largest we manage annually in the capital,” the spokesperson added.

“We are well-equipped and ready for a range of scenarios, ensuring that we effectively handle this significant event while maintaining our overall public service.”

Additionally, the Met has confirmed its thorough preparations for policing in the capital on New Year’s Eve.

Officers will be deployed throughout all 32 boroughs, with an especially strong presence in central London areas like Westminster and the West End, where crowds are expected to swell.

Cdr Nick John, who oversees the New Year’s Eve operations, stated, “This is always one of our busiest nights, and we begin planning for it many months in advance in coordination with our partners.”

London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display is completely ticketed and sold out; police have warned that anyone trying to access the area without a ticket or who breaches security barriers will face arrest and prosecution.

The Met also announced that Primrose Hill will not be accessible this year for viewing, advising people to refrain from gathering in that area and to make other arrangements.

Cdr John emphasized that officers will be on hand to ensure a “reassuring presence,” prevent crime, and respond swiftly to incidents, while appealing to the public to “only dial 999 in a genuine emergency” due to the high volume of calls handled by the teams.