Police pay deal: 8 per cent, $8k bonus described as ‘inadequate’

Queensland's thin blue line could get thinner as frontline police revolt against their union's acceptance of an 8 per cent pay rise deal dubbed 'the worst ever'.

The Queensland Police Union has come under fire for accepting a pay deal some members have described as ‘disgraceful’. File picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

Frontline police will get an $8000 bonus and all Queensland Police staff will get a pay rise for the next three years in a long-awaited wage deal struck with the government.

But police on the ground say the 8 per cent pay rise deal - which was announced to members on Tuesday - wasn’t good enough, “super disappointing” and “disgraceful”.

It comes after Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior previously labelled the pay rise as “inadequate” and falling “well short” of what he expected in an email to members on July 18.

But on Tuesday, the QPU announced it had accepted the state government’s offer of a three-year deal - 3 per cent in year one, and 2.5 per cent in the following two years.

Frontline police told The Courier-Mail it was a “backflip” and thought the “union caved”, but Mr Prior said it was the largest pay deal in QPS history.

“This EB (enterprise bargaining) is for the hard working frontline, the general duties officer that works day in, day out, every moment of the day responding to calls for service from the Queensland community,” Mr Prior said.

The deal included an $8000 bonus for general duties officers and shift penalty increases, including for night shifts.

QPU president Shane Prior had previously described the 8 per cent pay rise over three years as inadequate. Picture: Steve Pohlner

It also includes a pay point restructure valued at $63 million and an increase of $2000 per year on Rural Locality Incentive Payments for rural and remote cops.

In the email on Tuesday, Mr Prior said the union’s strategy and arguments with the government increased the deal from $377 million in benefits to $540 million in benefits.

Acting Police Commissioner Shane Chelepy said he was glad an agreement had been reached.

“It really is a key step moving forward for the Queensland Police Service,” Mr Chelepy said.

But some police on the ground aren’t happy, with many taking to social media to voice their disapproval and flooding the comments of the QPU Facebook post about the deal.

Their anger comes after Mr Prior told The Australian in March he didn’t agree with the 8 per cent offer, saying cops would leave “in droves” if the government didn’t offer a better deal for public servants, which included police, teachers and nurses.

“This is the worst EB I’ve ever seen. A blatant bribe to get GDs to vote it through. No incentive for anyone else,” one person wrote.

“Looks like the thinning blue line will get much thinner if this is the best we can get,” another said.

“You have to be kidding yourself if you think this is even remotely acceptable! Union executives are asleep at the wheel,” another said.

Mr Prior said on Tuesday this deal was for hardworking, frontline cops.

“This EB is for the attraction and the retention of police going into the future, with a significant upgrade for constables all the way through to the top end sergeants, to ensure that we are attracting the very best of this organisation, but retaining the very best in this organisation”.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said he was pleased all parties were able to reach an in-principle agreement swiftly and amicably.

Police Minister Dan Purdie. Picture: Liam Kidston

“We always said we would back our police and this shows the value and level of support our government has for our frontline police,” Mr Purdie said.

“Unlike our predecessors, we don’t take our police for granted and recognise the work they do fighting a youth crime crisis left by years of inaction.

“I spent 30 years in the job, so I know first-hand how hard our police work, and just how big their workload is.”

QPS members will formally vote on the proposal which needs endorsement by a majority of members before it can be put in place.

Originally published as Police pay deal: 8 per cent, $8k bonus described as ‘inadequate’