Members working 12-hour shifts will not have their rostering arrangements unilaterally terminated by management by the new year, as feared by members at some stations, according to a decision made today by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC).
The Police Association won this reprieve on behalf of affected members as part of a way forward stipulated by the AIRC that is hoped will enable the parties to resolve issues of dispute surrounding alternate hours of work.
The AIRC noted that The Police Association is “insistent that the interests of their members are fully addressed, and will not agree to abandon 12 hour night shifts.”
The key feature of this way forward, as laid down by the AIRC, is that representatives from The Police Association and the Victoria Police Force are to meet on a weekly basis until 30 January 2007 to resolve the issue of police rosters.
It further directed that these meetings should address key terms of reference including, length of rosters; predictability and notice of changes of rosters; weekends off work; periods between shifts and no quick changeover; shift rotation and consecutive night shifts and the role of local rostering working groups.
The AIRC has further stipulated that the parties may withdraw from this process at their discretion after 30 January 2007.
In light of today’s decision by the AIRC, we advise members that the meeting of members scheduled for Thursday 21 December at the Dallas Brooks Centre has been postponed to allow discussions to progress.
The Association is committed to ensure that management listens to the real concerns of members regarding their rosters, how they affect their families and levels of resourcing.
Naturally, we will keep members regularly updated on the progress of the weekly meetings to take place between the parties until 30 January 2007.
