The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW)is the statutory staff association for police constables, sergeants, inspectors, chief inspectors and special constables in the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales. Under UK labour law, the police are prohibited from joining ordinary trade unions to defend pay and working conditions, by the Police Act 1996, because of the view that a police strike would pose an exceptional public safety risk.
The PFEW was originally established by the Police Act 1919 as an alternative system, which would serve to represent staff, and where disputes could be resolved through arbitration so long as the government (as employer) continued to bargain in good faith.
PFEW represents more than 130,000 members. Members can elect not to pay subscriptions and thereby not receive the legal representation and other benefits that paying members receive, but they still continue officially to be members of the Federation. Superintendents and chief superintendents are represented by a separate staff association, the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales (PSA), while the most senior officers are members of the Chief Police Officers Staff Association (CPOSA).
