The Australian Federal Police Association is disappointed by delays imposed by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) on the recommencement of negotiations, after the first proposed enterprise agreement was voted down by a strong majority of AFP appointees.
The first discussion regarding negotiations occurred yesterday (Tuesday, 11 June), where the AFPA was originally optimistic that negotiations would recommence quickly.
AFPA President Alex Caruana said that during the meeting, the AFP informed bargainers that the AFP would not resume negotiations until the completion of a proposed staff survey.
“The AFPA was ready to recommence negotiations yesterday; we have done our homework, and it is obvious that the AFP had not. There is no reason that negotiations cannot run jointly with the AFP’s proposed survey. If the AFP Executive seriously does not know why the proposed enterprise agreement was voted down, then they are truly disengaged and disconnected from their workforce.
“The AFPA has already conducted two surveys relating to the enterprise agreement, and the information provided by our members is that the 11.2 per cent pay rise over three years is not enough. The AFP and the government were provided with this information months ago.
“Also, the implementation of allowances such as the Use of Force and Unsociable Hours allowances is supported by the AFPA. However, the actual amount of these allowances, as offered by the AFP and Government, are not.
“The AFP and Government should be embarrassed that, on base pay, AFP police officers are the lowest-paid police officers in Australia. If you factor in allowances, they rank fifth out of the eight jurisdictions. It is ridiculous that AFP and Victorian police officers, with the same experience and work tenure, can work together in the same joint counter-terrorism taskforce, doing the same role — yet one officer is paid significantly more than the other,” Mr Caruana said.
The AFPA will commence negotiations with a clear direction and strategy to improve pay and workplace conditions for all sworn and unsworn AFP appointees.
The key negotiation points for the AFPA are:
- Genuine pay increases to appropriately recognise each AFP appointee working under much greater scrutiny and with much higher risk and responsibility than the regular public service.
- To complement the proposed Protective Service Officer (PSO) broadbands, fine-tuning police broadbands to reflect the level of responsibility and duties required of a police officer and ensuring that they remain in parity with those in other Australian policing jurisdictions.
- Better recognition of the AFP’s unsworn staff, including establishing more distinct career pathways and calibrating remuneration levels so that the AFP remains a competitive employer of choice.
- Consistency of Safety Nets across all working patterns and roles to ensure better protections for members, with appropriate penalty provisions attached that properly recognise the importance of managing fatigue and workplace health and safety.
- The Unsociable Hours Allowance must be implemented at a flat rate (not tied to band level) and must not be lower than the current Night Shift Allowance.
- The proposed Use of Force allowance needs to be retained and increased to recognise the responsibility that rests upon the shoulders of all members who are required to maintain this qualification.
- A new allowance to recognise and compensate unsworn appointees who must gain and maintain high-level security clearances as well as submit to invasive drug and integrity testing.
- Streamlining the current Agreement to place executive-level staff under the same provisions and protections as Band 1-8 appointees.
- The establishment of a properly constructed consultative committee comprising representatives of the AFP, the AFPA and the CPSU.
- Where legally possible, all allowances to be included in superannuation.
- Lastly, the right to disconnect must be enshrined within the AFP EA to ensure that AFP appointees still have this protection if the laws were to be reversed after a change of government.
The AFPA encourages all members to exercise their legal industrial rights and continue to take protected industrial action (PIA).
Mr Caruana said that additional PIAs would be applied for via the Fair Work Commission, which could see the withdrawal of police and Protective Service Officers from critical infrastructure such as airports and AUKUS establishments around Australia.
“AFP appointees are at the forefront of national security, and they protect many sites of critical importance. It is time that the Government recognises their importance and the critical work they do in protecting national assets and international partnerships.
“Our members drew a line in the sand regarding pay rises and workplace conditions when they voted down the proposed enterprise agreement. The AFP and Government need to work together to put a better offer on the table for AFP appointees to vote on,” Mr Caruana said.
For comments: AFPA Media and Government Relations Manager – Mr Troy Roberts – 02 62651788 – media@afpa.org.au
