Eight months after your Association lodged its EBA claim, the Victoria Police Force last Friday released its pay offer which, if realised, would make our members the worst paid police officers in the country.
The Force’s scant three-page response to the our 62-point claim - which also calls for the scrapping of some existing industrial agreements to provide it with the ‘flexibility’ to band-aid resourcing shortages – can, at best, be described as way off the mark of meeting members’ concerns, at worst, an offensive insult.
The Force’s response to our claim comes two months after the commencement of enterprise bargaining negotiations. In the absence of a detailed counter-claim from the Force, these discussions have not been able to deliver much by way of positive outcomes to date.
Unfortunately, this response will do little to further discussion on the substantial issues that matter most to members.
The key elements of the Force’s disappointing response to our claim are as follows;
· Pay offer of 3 percent per annum (over a 5-year agreement) that would make the best police force in
· Incremental pay increases with conditional strings attached
· Removal of agreed policies from your certified agreement that currently provide job security and stability. The Force claims these will achieve greater ‘flexibility’. The Association is sceptical as to whether these proposed changes will achieve anything more than a reduction in stability and job security.
· A separate log for Inspectors and Superintendents designed to undermine the strength of our collective by dividing the membership.
What the Force’s offer did not outline is anything specific that would assist the parties to deal with the ‘common themes’ that you have brought to the Association and the Force’s EB team during their visits.
The Association yesterday met with the Chief Commissioner and the Force’s EB team and expressed its disappointment with the content of its offer.
Further meetings between the parties are scheduled, during which the Association hopes the Force will do more than simply outline its principles. Real talk with the Force can only commence when it provides the Association with a counter-claim that is ‘fair dinkum’.
The Association will keep members advised of any developments with regard to the EB process in future editions of InBrief.
Paul Mullett
Secretary
