Allan government could be forced to find $740m to end police pay dispute

The state government could be forced to find up to $740m to bring the ongoing police pay dispute to an end, after members rejected a $500m deal forcing the parties back into negotiations.

The Allan government could be forced to find up to $740m to bring the ongoing police pay dispute to an end.

Victoria Police and the police union have been working to understand why members rejected a $500m deal forcing the parties back into negotiations over the new pay deal.

The rejected deal included a 16 per cent pay rise over four years and the introduction of a landmark nine-day fortnight for frontline cops.

However police sources told the Herald Sun the deal was rejected because of a lack of confidence the new rostering model could be successfully implemented.

They also said the 16 per cent pay boost was a sticking point because it failed to factor in CPI.

Sources said a 2 per cent increase on top of CPI would likely be accepted by members.

It would mean a 5.8 per cent annual pay increase based on CPI of 3.8 per cent over the past 12 months.

The deal was reportedly rejected because of a lack of confidence in the new rostering model. Picture: Sarah Matray

Based on latest available figures such a deal would add an estimated $185m to the force’s annual $3.2bn wages bill.

“It would be a safe and discounted cost for the government and get it across the line as long as it was backdated to the original EBA end date in December 2023, which is still a sticking point,” one source said.

Other sources said a total 22 per cent pay boost not fixed to CPI could also get member support.

Both Victoria Police and the police association have been conducting surveys over the past week to prepare themselves for further negotiations.

Despite signing an agreement to introduce new 9-hour shifts, senior police sources said Victoria Police force command remained vehemently opposed to the idea.

They say it would be unworkable and would compromise community safety because of its cost and drain on resources.

Sources said based on the current rate of recruitment, it would take more than a decade before the new rostering model could work.

It is still unclear whether it will form part of further negotiations or whether the idea is now dead.

Despite signing an agreement to introduce new 9-hour shifts, senior police sources said Victoria Police force command remained vehemently opposed to the idea.

But some senior union sources said the idea could be remodelled, or applied to a smaller cohort of officers.

“As a uniform officer, I love the idea, and if given the appropriate information, I would easily support it, if I thought it was achievable and responsible,” one source said.

“But it just isn’t. There is no way, by any measure, that Victoria Police and or the government can sign it into existence and it not impact on community safety and police response times.”

Police industrial action was paused in December after a breakthrough in negotiations saw the state government, Victoria Police and the Police Association agreeing to implement the new nine-day model.

In May police union members voted to accept the phased-in introduction of nine hour shifts by 2028.

It would have given police an extra 22 days off a year, a 16 per cent pay rise over four years, the addition of two new allowances and a transition to predictable rostering.

However 57 per cent of police last week rejected the deal.