‘Learn self-defence’: Slogans written on Victoria Police cars ahead of strike over pay dispute

A message on a Victoria Police car has caused a stir online, as officers prepare to walk off the job for the first time in 25 years.

A message scrawled on the back of a police car has caused a stir online, as officers prepare to walk off the job for the first time in 25 years amid a marathon pay dispute.

Cops in Victoria have been encouraged by union bosses to stop work for 30 minutes on Thursday, two months after it rejected the state government’s latest offer of a 3 per cent pay rise and a nine-day fortnight.

“Learn self-defence, we might be a while #EB24,” the message shared on Reddit read..

“Aren’t these the same guys I’ve seen on the other side of every labour protest that has ever happened?” one person commented.

“Learn self-defence but don’t carry anything that you could protect yourself with,” another said.

“Every time I’ve needed help from a cop they’ve done absolutely nothing. So yeah, I would advise everyone to learn self-defence,” a third wrote.

Victoria Police will walk off the job on Thursday. Picture: MoonTsukii/Reddit

Other slogans written on police cars in support of the proposed industrial action include “we can’t turn out if we burn out”, with some targeting Victoria Police chief commissioner Shane Patton such as “end the Patton of wage theft” and “our chief the wage thief”.

The union has been locked in 18 months of negotiations involving more than 100 meetings, with demands for 6 per cent annual pay rises over four years and new 8.5-hour shifts which would leave officers with an extra 14 days off a year, the Herald Sun reports.

Police Association of Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Nurses and midwives in the state recently accepted a 28.4 per cent pay rise over four years, and the TPAV says members deserve a better deal.

“Our members are struggling financially, and they are struggling at the workplace due to the pressure they’re under,” TPAV secretary Wayne Gatt said in a statement to Nine News earlier this week.

“More than a thousand vacancies, a worrying attrition rate and hundreds of police off on long-term sick leave, means they’re doing more work than they ever have for less. Now, they’re taking back some of a precious commodity that their employer has long taken from them for free — their time. The public needn’t be concerned that their safety will be compromised — our members will always have the back of their community.”

Victoria Police chief commissioner Shane Patton. Picture: Nadir Kinani/NCA NewsWire

Under the proposed action, officers will stop work for 30 minutes at the police academy along with a handful of stations including Broadmeadows.

“If a triple-zero call for assistance comes in during a work stoppage, members will respond,” Mr Gatt said.

“The community is certainly not the target here, in fact their support has been appreciated by our members. The target here is the employer and the government.”

It comes as the Herald Sun reports some officers are turning on their colleagues who keep working voluntary duties, branding them “scabs”, while senior sources told the newspaper many could ignore the call to strike amid unhappiness over Mr Gatt’s handling of the pay negotiations.

TPAV has been contacted for comment.

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Originally published as ‘Learn self-defence’: Slogans written on Victoria Police cars ahead of strike over pay dispute