Is this discriminatory?

[ImNoVanGough]

Apologies for the length of this post!
I work for the local police service in a civilian role; my team is made up of 6 male police officers, 1 male civilian and 2 female civilians.
The officers now have allocated annual leave (leave year April-April) and civs have to slot in round the time that's left (leave year October-October)-so far this hasn't been an issue-this is the first year it's been in place.
Recently been notified that only officers with leave blocks over the festive period will be granted time off (11december/3january) and as us civs don't have allocated leave we will never be given festive leave!
In same email officers have been told to request their leave for 2016 however us civs have been told we cannot apply until December despite us being in a new holiday year. My civ colleagues are wanting to put in a formal complaint on behalf of all civs (28 in the dept) but I'm not sure if there would be grounds for it to be upheld or if it's a waste of time.

Unfair, perhaps, but not discriminatory. Being a police officer isn't a protected characteristic.

That's my concern but they're not really for listening! They're of the opinion that as its different rules for the officers despite us all doing the exact same roles points to discrimination.

Agent is right, nothing you've said in your post is unlawful discrimination. Doesn't mean you can't point out the unfairness, but you've got no recourse in law

Actually you might. If civilian roles are overwhelmingly filled by women as opposed to officer roles then there may be the starting of an indirect discrimination issue.

Just the starting though.

Yes that's my point that it's unfair but not discrimination.
I'll suggest all sending an email and see if it can be resolved, think some folk are getting a bit excited and wanting to create a bigger issue than it really is
The civs are being phased out and replaced by officers (it's a purely civilianised role and no police officer skills are required) so now civs are the minority and I think my colleagues are grasping at straws and wanting to create waves where there are none. I'd rather just keep my head down!

I would speak to your HR dept. sounds like the managers haven't thought this through rather than being deliberately 'discriminatory'.

If you have no joy with an informal complaint then you could put in a grievance on the grounds of unfairness (rather than discrimination).

Is one or any of you in the union? It's the sort of unfairness between officers/staff that the union are likely to support you in.

Good luck.

There's a few in the union so I'll suggest contacting them before going in all guns blazing. I hate that the shouty ones are "representing" us all, the way they are going about it is all wrong! I'll stick with being peace keeper and hopefully someone with some power sees sense and we get things resolved.
Thanks

Reasonable and clam is the way to go - all guns blazing will just get managers backs up

I hope you get your colleagues to see sense.

*calm
*managers'

'Tis late - I'm off to bed