Extraordinary act to be performed by Victoria Police as part of pay battle with Jacinta Allan government – but Australian motorists will love it
As part of the threatened strike, police plan to warn lucky motorists in one state of the locations of speed cameras.
Victoria Police are demanding an $840 million pay deal for about 17,500 officers, including public transport security officers (PSOs), in a long-running and bitter dispute with the Jacinta Allan state government.
As part of new strike action next week, officers plan to paste slogans on vehicles, protest outside government buildings and hang posters outside police stations.
Last month, police union members voted against an offer of nine-hour shifts and nine-day fortnightly shifts as part of a $500 million deal between the state government and top brass.
The deal would result in a 16 percent pay increase and 22 additional days off per year for normal employment.
The police want an annual pay increase of six percent and 8.5-hour shifts over the next four years, which would give them 14 days off per year.
The deal would add at least $210 million to the police department’s $3.2 billion annual payroll.
Previously, the police carried out strikes between December and May after the employment contract expired in November.
Victoria Police will launch fresh strikes next week as part of a long-running pay dispute
Union members voted to introduce nine-hour shifts from 2028, but 57 percent of police officers later rejected the agreement, forcing the parties to renegotiate.
Wayne Gatt, secretary of the Police Association, said his union members felt undervalued.
“Our members have seen other employees receive higher salaries and they feel that the nature and importance of their work to the community should be treated with the same respect and should yield the same rewards,” Mr Gatt told the Herald Sun.
He accused the state government and the military of playing hardball and “tearing to pieces everything that was previously agreed in the proposed EBA and starting negotiations all over again”.
As part of their planned industrial action, Victoria Police will warn lucky motorists of the location of speed cameras
Prime Minister Jacinta Allan’s heavily indebted Labor government is facing higher pay demands from some public sector workers
“The government has not increased its financial offer to the police and public services,” he said.
‘That is why our delegates voted to resume Phase 1 industrial action measures from next week and to hold a vote among members on escalating to Phase 2 measures in the coming weeks.’
Prime Minister Jacinta Allan’s heavily indebted Labor government is also grappling with a long-running dispute over firefighters’ and paramedics’ pay.
However, at least one segment of the public sector workforce is happy about it, as nurses accept jobs A 28 percent pay increase in June, adding a whopping $1 billion to their wages.
However, this has become a benchmark that other care providers must strive for.
