Dugald Saunders: NSW Police Association says Dubbo MP ignored meeting request
Dubbo state Nationals MP Dugald Saunders has hit back at union suggestions he failed to show support for police by refusing to meet with union representatives and discuss their wage freeze concerns.
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NSW Police Association president Tony King claims Dubbo state Nationals MP Dugald Saunders “failed to return calls” and ignored requests to meet with union representatives concerned about the state government’s decision to temporarily slash police wage increases.
Mr King was in Dubbo last week to campaign against the government’s attempt to safeguard the jobs of public servants like police and nurses by effectively freezing wage increases for 12 months.
He argues police have been forced to cop a 30 per cent increase in workload, due to natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the government should have rolled over the existing 2.5 per cent annual pay rise until a new industrial agreement could be reached.
“We were disappointed that the local MP’s office didn’t respond, at all, to a request to meet,” Mr King said.
“It was an opportunity missed for Mr Saunders to show the extent of his support for police.”
Mr Saunders declined to confirm if the Police Association asked to meet with him, or if he responded to any request to meet.
“I am a huge supporter of our police, and value the work they do to keep our communities safe,” he said.
“Earlier this year it was decided that a one-year freeze would be placed on the wages of all public sector workers in response to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to divert that money into programs that could be used to keep private sector workers employed.”
Mr Saunders said the Industrial Relations Commission had made a decision to awarded a reduced one-year pay increase of 0.3 per cent.
“Obviously this whole situation is far from ideal, but given the circumstances we find ourselves in, it is unfortunately something that is necessary,” he said.
“The decision also protected the jobs of workers in the public sector, at the same time that more than 280,000 people in NSW are out of work.”