Today AFP has announced the voting result of the AFP Enterprise Agreement (EA) 2024-2027.
The result was 52.05 percent voted ‘yes’ to accept the proposed EA.
As this process was democratic, we accept the result and thank everyone who voted. I want to thank you for your membership and dedication to protected industrial action during the past 12 months. I know that protected industrial action came with a personal cost to you, but without your support, we would not have been able to accomplish what we have.
As you will know, the EA negotiation process has been a protracted battle. The second offer that the AFP workforce has accepted is unquestionably superior to the first offer and far superior to the 2017–2021 EA.
It’s been the first time in a long time where conditions haven’t gone backwards. When we started this campaign, our original mission was ‘no member will go backwards’, and we believe that while we didn’t achieve as much as we originally wanted, we did achieve our original mission. We are travelling forward rather than backwards, but in saying that, there are still many improvements to strive for in future EA’s.
The AFPA and its members’ advocacy and activities are responsible for the 2024–2027 EA improvements over the previous one. We wouldn’t have seen a better offer in the second round if we hadn’t pressured the government via protected industrial action undertaken by members and overt and covert advocacy by the AFPA.
Gaining an additional $40 million to the funding envelope that will pay your wage is no small feat. Likewise, it’s no small achievement to add additional allowances such as ‘use of force’ and ‘unsociable hours’ to your paycheck.
While I acknowledge that not all AFPA members will get these allowances, all AFPA members will receive additional benefits in having access to the critical illness leave register, higher duties payable from day one, greater accrual of annual leave, and time off in lieu for Executive and TSF members.
Having your pay rise frontloaded at 4.5% in the first year will benefit you today and in your retirement. To our knowledge, this is the best first-year outcome of any Commonwealth department under the bargaining framework. It’s also your best yearly pay rise in 16 years.
During this bargaining, we learned some valuable lessons. The main one is that the government’s non-APS bargaining framework is crippling and doesn’t really allow for good-faith bargaining. Organisations such as the AFP aren’t typical public service departments, you aren’t traditional public servants, and the bargaining framework offers limited leeway and flexibility that is often required to support a law enforcement workforce. Bluntly, this policy is a set of handcuffs and no better than the APS-wide bargaining framework. Our goal for the next three years will be to advocate for the AFP to be properly extracted from this policy and be allowed to bargain sensibly without constraint.
With the 2024-2027 EA agreed upon and awaiting approval by the FWC we have already commenced working towards the 2027-2030 EA. We know the next three years will go quickly, and we aim to bring the AFP to the negotiation table at least 12 months before the 2024-2027 EA expires. In reality, that gives us 24 months to work out the positives and negatives of the EA, along with developing a campaign for what you and the membership wish to see changed.
Like all new legislation or policy, we know there will be teething problems and unintended consequences with the 2024-2027 EA. We also know that the AFP will interpret clauses different to how they were originally envisaged. If you identify one of these problems, consequences or interpretations, please don’t hesitate to contact the AFPA via afpa@afpa.org.au or (02) 62851677 so we can record the issue and work towards a resolution.
Please be aware that with a successful ‘yes’ vote, all protected industrial action (PIA) must come to an end. If you have put up posters or displayed merchandise or slogans, please remove them. I want to extend my thanks to every member who participated in PIA, whether it was through wearing a lanyard, a wristband, or any other form of support—every contribution made a difference.
Lastly, I want to thank the Convenors and Delegates cohort and AFPA staff who worked tirelessly throughout this campaign while maintaining support services and ‘business as usual’ for members. At times, your work may seem to go unnoticed, but rest assured, it hasn’t and without your commitment we wouldn’t have achieved what we did.
Keep safe and thank you for all your efforts. Without question your efforts changed the landscape and help us delivery a better EA than we previously had.
Alex
