Victorian police threaten strike over wages

Victoria's new Coalition government faces a potential revolt from the public sector over wages as police threaten strike action

Victoria's new Coalition government faces a potential revolt from the public sector over wages as police threaten strike action, public servants fear job cuts and teachers label the offer made to them ridiculous.

The Victorian Police Association and the Community and Public Sector Union yesterday received a wage offer of 2.5 per cent and nothing else unless further cash or productivity savings were made.

The enterprise bargaining agreements for more than 200,000 teachers, nurses, police and public servants are all up for negotiation this year.

Finance Minister Robert Clark has moved to take control of wage talks and has used the 2.5per cent figure -- set by the former Labor government to temporarily cope with the global financial crisis -- as the first offer.

Inflation is set to be about 3per cent for the next two years. Unions say the pay will threaten election promises, including hiring 1700 extra police, making teachers the highest paid in the country and ensuring no public service jobs are lost.

Victorian Police Association president Greg Davies said the union might consider applying for protection from industrial action if 2.5 per cent is the only offer. "They have offered members less than the CPI rate and less than inflation," he said. "This government rode to victory on the law-and-order horse and, having attained the prize, have taken it to the knackery."

A spokeswoman for Mr Clark confirmed the offer and defended the approach, encouraging parties to keep "the expectations of Victorians in mind".