Geelong, Surf Coast police participate in force’s statewide industrial action

Police from Geelong and the Surf Coast have written “overworked, undervalued” and “we can’t turn out if we burn out” on their vehicles as part of statewide industrial action.

Police take industrial action across Geelong and the Surf Coast. Picture: The Police Association Victoria

Police from Geelong and the Surf Coast have written “overworked, undervalued” and “we can’t turn out if we burn out” on their vehicles as part of statewide industrial action.

Since December 3, police across the state have been taking actions, including warning motorist of speed cameras, after the Allan government and Victoria Police failed to negotiate a favourable enterprise agreement.

Geelong police vehicles were covered in slogans such as “wanted: fair pay” and “family or the force: don’t make up choose” in an effort to share the challenges of the job with their community and the government.

Geelong/Surf Coast police industrial action.

Police union secretary Wayne Gatt said it was the failure of the government which has led to industrial action.

“If the government wants to attack the bottom lines of my members’ household, we’ll attack theirs by placing police cars beside the highest yielding speed cameras in the state to warn motorists to slow down before they are forced to contribute to the state’s revenue,” he said.

Mr Gatt said members were “overworked, undervalued and always there for the community”.

“The government has shown our members incredible disrespect during these negotiations by leaving them hanging after they’ve endured the toughest four years in the history of policing in Victoria,” he said.

“They deserve to be paid for the work they do and not be expected to work unpaid overtime every shift.

“They deserve the right to see their families more and to have enough money in their pockets to actually take care of them.”

Police take industrial action across Geelong and the Surf Coast. Picture: The Police Association Victoria

Shadow minister for police Brad Battin said the state’s force has a staff crisis which was threatening community safety.

“It’s very concerning that police are now being forced to take industrial action in Geelong and the Surf Coast as we approach Christmas,” he said.

“Jacinta Allan needs to intervene and fix this dispute so police can get on with the job they need to do as we enter the holiday period.”

A Victorian government spokeswoman said all parties continue to negotiate a new enterprise agreement.

“Any planned protected industrial action is a matter for The Police Association of Victoria, and we welcome the union’s assurance that community safety will not be put at risk during any industrial action,” the spokeswoman said.

“We respect the rights of all workers to engage in protected industrial action.”

Originally published as Geelong, Surf Coast police participate in force’s statewide industrial action