Victoria Police’s pay dispute with the state government has today been heard by the Fair Work Commission, with union leaders converging as the fight for better pay becomes increasingly bitter.
Police officers walked off the job in North Melbourne today, revealing they had been operating with less than half their normal staffing numbers.
Meanwhile, the commission heard from the government, Victoria Police and the Police Association, who remain locked in negotiations after members rejected a 16 per cent pay rise offer in July.
Officers are instead calling for a 24 per cent pay rise over the next four years and the introduction of 8.5-hour shifts, according to Police Association Secretary Wayne Gatt.
But Gatt has accused Victoria Police of running away from the bargaining table and leaving it in the hands of the Ombudsman to make a decision.
“We don’t want a war with Victoria Police. We don’t want a war with the government,” Gatt said.
“We want this to be resolved in a fair and reasonable way.”
Gatt called on the Allan government to take a leaf out of the NSW government’s book, where officers have all been offered a 19 per cent pay rise over four years.
Select members of the NSW police force will get up to 39 per cent.
But in Victorian police station, Senior Sergeant Alex O’Toole said the cost of living and vacant jobs were taking a toll.
“My police station is supposed to have 38 constables and senior constables. And right now we have 19,” O’Toole said.
“We have members leaving and they’re not being replaced.”
Police union members now fear that if Fair Work is allowed to decide on what the pay rise should be, it could end up being less than the 16 per cent offer they rejected in July.
“If this application by the employer is successful – that industrial action has to stop. Our works are saying no,” Gatt said.
Fair Work will make that decision in the coming weeks.
