Police association demands a four per cent pay rise and better working conditions for members

Victoria’s unionised police officers have voted to take industrial action if their demands for better pay and working conditions aren’t met.

An overwhelming majority of Victoria’s unionised police officers have voted to take industrial action. Picture: Getty Images

Nearly 99 per cent of Victoria’s unionised police officers have voted in favour of taking industrial action should the state government and Victoria Police fail to negotiate a favourable bargaining agreement by Thursday.

Friday’s member ballot saw 98.46 per cent of the 17,500 police and PSO members vote in favour of taking action, amid negotiations for a pay increase and better working conditions.

The Police Association has demanded a four per cent pay rise and nine hour shifts to accommodate a better work-life balance

Potential action can include “indefinite bans on members working beyond ordinary rostered hours without claiming for overtime payments” and alerting vehicles of speed cameras by flashing lights.

Police Association president Wayne Gatt said police morale was low.

“It’s a difficult and disappointing time for the Police Association . . . wage negotiations aren’t mean to go like this,” he said.

President of the Victoria Police Association Wayne Gatt says morale is low among police. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“To this point, the reasonable requests around nine-hour shifts, around better pay and conditions, about conditions that will see them stay in the job as opposed to continue to leave the job in droves . . . remain unresolved.

“I’ve been around the state of Victoria speaking to thousands of members and I will say this — in their thousands they are telling us that their moral is low that they are burnt out, that they are tired (and) that they are overworked. That they are undervalued.”

Industrial action can‘t start until the existing EBA expires on November 30.

Police Association delegates will meet on Monday to discuss an “action plan”.

While Mr Gatt did not go into specifics about the cost of living allowance demands, he said the association was “flexible on how that could be delivered”.

“Our members have said one of the key pillars of their claim is to have to be compensated for the hours that they’re at work,” he said.

“Those nine-hour shifts (are) a principal part of their claim and it’s something that the last 10 days they’ve asked us to continue to actively pursue. My members understand what wages theft looks like, they investigate crooks every single day.”

Mr Gatt said any action taken would “not be a strike”, squashing any potential community concerns of police abandoning their responsibilities.

A Victoria Police spokesman said they were “confident” of reaching an agreement that favours all parties.

“Victoria Police continues to negotiate in good faith with the Police Association Victoria.

“We have made significant progress and are confident of reaching an agreement that recognises the challenges of policing and is fair for police, protective services officers and the Victorian community.

“If industrial action does occur the community can be assured frontline policing services will continue to be provided.”

It comes as opening hours of 43 stations across the state were slashed, including Wyndham North, South Melbourne and Mordialloc due to a resources crisis.