Victoria Police begins industrial action by plastering slogans across cars
Victoria Police is ramping up its pay war from today as officers publicly share their fury with the state government by plastering slogans across vehicles. Here’s what you can expect to see.
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Police demanding better pay will declare “You don’t call a pollie when you’re in danger” in messages scrawled on hundreds of patrol cars in an unprecedented move.
The industrial action – starting today – will also see officers flash their emergency lights near speed cameras and help children cross the road.
A thousand chalk-based pens have been circulated to “undervalued” police who will daub their cars in political messages for the first time ever.
The messages will feature slogans like: “Fighting crime doesn’t pay” and “Merry Christmas from your undervalued police”.
One proclaims: “Fair Cop: Our police deserve a decent pay rise” and another “Pollies 11%, Police 2% … makes no sense!”.
A further suggested message, similar to those paramedics plastered on ambulances during their pay battle, says: “Kicked, punched, spat at. Not for 2%!”.
Police Association Secretary Wayne Gatt said police feel “disrespected, frustrated and angry”.
Mr Gatt revealed the state government failed to return to the bargaining table over the weekend, despite earlier assurances that industrial action would be averted.
Further negotiations will be held between the union and state government from 3pm today.
Mr Gatt said it was time Premier Daniel Andrews, police minister Lisa Neville or Treasurer Tim Pallas come to the table to end this “cheap distraction”.
Discussions to date have involved lower level government representatives, said Mr Gatt.
“They have failed by allowing this dispute to escalate to where police have had the need to take industrial action,” he said.
“It was avoidable – it didn’t need to happen.
“We need key people at the bargaining table who are empowered to make these decisions.”
Police Minister Lisa Neville met with union boss Wayne Gatt today, as EBA negotiations continue.
She said a deal was “very close” but would not say whether it would come before Christmas or whether wages or conditions were the sticking point.
“We are making significant progress - there is a lot of goodwill around the table,” Ms Neville said.
“We are very close and these issues are not insurmountable.”
She added: “I’m very confident that we’re all determined to get that (an agreement) hopefully as a Christmas present but this is about trying to get a good deal for everyone.”
Senior government minister Jacinta Allan said the government and Police Minister Lisa Neville would continue to negotiate with the union.
“They have obviously made a decision to take the action we are seeing today,” she said.
“That doesn’t stop us from continuing to have the negotiations that are a normal part of the enterprise bargaining agreement process.”
Ms Allan dismissed questions on what the government meant when calling for an increase in productivity alongside a pay rise, and said it was not her place to comment on the union’s decision to scrawl slogans across police cars and vans.
She said it was a “normal” part of negotiations.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate that I run a commentary on each and every aspect of what’s in the various logs of claims and the negotiations that are happening,” she said.
“Every time you see ‘flashing blue and reds’ near a speed camera, a message on a police vehicle, a police officer helping schoolchildren across the road, you’ll be reminded that the government doesn’t value your police,” Mr Gatt said.
Opposition police spokesman David Southwick said the government should “put their money where their mouth is”, after commending police on the work they do.
He said a four per cent pay rise was a “reasonable ask”.
“Daniel Andrews was quite happy to take an 11 per cent pay rise but is not prepared to pay our hardworking Victoria Police what they are worth,” he said.
“It has never been tougher to be a member of Victoria Police on the streets - we are seeing police officers shot at, punched, spat at.”
The Sunday Herald Sun in August revealed the police union wants an annual 4 per cent pay rise for its 17,000 members.
The State Government has only offered 2 per cent a year.
Industrial action will also include posters in public view at police stations and protective services officers handing out leaflets to commuters at train stations outlining their pay plight.
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Messages will be included on officers’ email signatures.
Victoria Police spokeswoman Beck Angel said while there had been significant progress in reaching a deal the force had been planning for potential industrial action as there were “still a few items to work through”.
“The community can be reassured that frontline policing services will continue to be provided and will not be impacted by the planned action,’’ Ms Angel said.
SUGGESTED MESSAGES TO BE SCRAWLED ON POLICE CARS
“Kicked, punched, spat at. Not for 2%!”
“You don’t call a pollie when you’re in danger”
“Fighting crime doesn’t pay”
“Fair Cop: Our police deserve a decent pay rise”
“Pollies 11%, Police 2%...makes no sense!”
“Merry Christmas from your undervalued police”
“We give 100%, but offered just 2%”