New battle for Allan government as Victoria Police start industrial action over pay deal
Victoria Police has kicked off a new round of industrial action against the Allan government as the head of the force’s union warns “morale is hopeless” and critical stations are standing empty.
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Victoria police has kicked off its industrial action as the head of the force’s union warns morale across the service “is hopeless”.
Officers began their industrial action on Thursday morning, writing messages on police vehicles such as “Don’t bail on police, pay us what we’re worth” and “New train stations open, police stations close under Labor”.
Police will also alert motorists to speed cameras as part of renewed industrial action in their long-running pay dispute.
Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt on Thursday said officers were working for free and stretched so thin they could not staff police stations.
“Morale is hopeless…I’ve rarely seen it worse,” Mr Gatt said.
Addressing media at Richmond Police Station, Mr Gatt said the facility was all but closed with only a handful of officers inside.
Fitzroy Police Station was shut and the Collingwood station spent more time closed than open, Mr Gatt said.
“That’s how threadbare these police stations are,” he said.
Mr Gatt said his members had been left angry by what the Allan government was willing to pay other sectors while failing to strike a deal with police.
“They saw what the government was prepared to pay others and they said ‘we want some of that,” he said.
“If you’ve got the money for other workers, then clearly you should find it for the people that come to work every day to keep you safe.”
Police to go to war with Allan govt pay fight boils over
The Allan government will be directly targeted by Victoria’s 17,500 police as part of renewed industrial action in their long-running pay dispute.
The vicious attack is set to highlight a litany of government failings including bail laws, major infrastructure blowouts and police station closures.
Police will also vote in coming days to quickly escalate industrial action in a bid to ramp up their assault on the government and end the $840m pay demand stalemate.
From Thursday police will alert motorists to speed cameras, protest at government premises and plaster slogans on police vehicles.
Slogans will include: “Labor, you love nurses, but what about police?, End the Patton of wage theft from Police and Don’t BAIL on police – pay us what we’re worth”.
The government’s commitment to major infrastructure spending, including the $34.5bn Suburban Rail Loop, will also be referenced with the slogan: “Police and tunnel boring machines: both being driven into the dirt in Victoria”.
And police will attack the government over the increased number or station closures and police vacancies despite crime rates rising.
As part of renewed pay negotiations police are demanding a 24 per cent pay rise — 6 per cent annual pay rises over the next four years — as well as the introduction of new 8.5 hour shifts.
It will mean 14 extra days off a year.
Based on latest available figures the deal is expected to add at least $210m to the force’s annual $3.2bn wages bill.
It comes after the state’s nurses secured a 28 per cent pay rise but pay negotiations with Victorian firefighters and paramedics continue.
“Our members have seen other workers receiving higher pay rises and they feel that the nature and importance of their work to the community should be held in the same regard and attract the same rewards,” Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said.
“And they want an iron clad commitment from their employer to embrace immediate rostering reform to end the cycle of wage theft that they have perpetuated for so long.”
During the most recent industrial action, between December and May, police personally targeted Jacinta Allan by protesting at her press conferences and outside her Bendigo electorate office.
It is understood the Premier could face similar moves during the first stage of industrial action.
If police vote to escalate action, it could again include bans on issuing penalty notices, with exceptions for the most serious driving offences.
The action means the government remains at war with each of the state’s three key emergency services.
Paramedics have been in the midst of industrial action since March, with Ambulance communications, clinical support, triage services, rostering and air operations now all affected.
Firefighters are also fighting for a 25 per cent over three years as well as an additional $117m in bonuses.
The government would be forced to find an estimated $1.5bn to end the long-running disputes.
The current police workplace agreement expired last November but police last month rejected a proposed 16 per cent pay rise and the introduction of nine hour shifts by 2028.
Originally published as New battle for Allan government as Victoria Police start industrial action over pay deal
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