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The Age - Melbourne,Victoria,A
03 September 2007

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Umpire calls halt to police in

THE police pay dispute took a dramatic turn last night, with tough industrial action proposed by the police union deemed illegal by the industrial relations umpire.

The Australian Industrial Relations Commission ordered the Police Association to halt wide-ranging work bans until Saturday. Police union secretary Paul Mullett had announced after a meeting of union delegates yesterday morning that a second round of work bans was to begin at midday yesterday. The first, milder, round of bans was introduced last week.

Among the second round of measures were bans on the processing of red light and speeding fines, appearing in court, working solo and volunteering to work at sporting events. Police who work at the sporting events are paid the normal daily rate, but under the bans would have to be paid penalty rates. This extra money would have to come partly from the AFL.

"That'll hit Government where it really hurts, in the hip pocket," Mr Mullett said yesterday morning. "If we have to escalate, it will be the politicians that compromise the community's safety."

However, at the request of Victoria Police, backed by the State Government, the industrial commission late last night declared that the industrial action was "unprotected" under the WorkChoices legislation because the union had not given sufficient warning.

The question of whether some of the bans compromised public safety was deferred, as was a decision on whether the bargaining period, during which industrial action is protected, could be suspended by the police because of the action instituted briefly yesterday by the union.

Speaking before the commission's decision, Mr Mullett warned that any attempt to end the official bargaining period, during which industrial action is legal, could result in more severe action. This could include marching on Parliament House.

"If this Government or the Victoria Police force are weak enough to suspend or terminate our bargaining period, we won't put up with that," he said.

"We will continue with our industrial action through any of those weak attempts or during the course of any arbitrated case."

Assistant Commissioner Noel Ashby said it was "an insult" to suggest that police would walk off the job and put the public at risk, but he said four of the proposed bans did compromise community safety.

"Four do compromise the safety of the Victorian community, in particular the bans that relate to court appearance, the bans that relate to penalty notices in and around the traffic camera system, performing voluntary duty is also an issue for us, and the capacity to work alone and the requirement in the bans to work two up," he said.

Mr Ashby said that the two parties were due to meet tomorrow, but that senior police were willing to meet Mr Mullett at any time.

The Government has offered a 3.25 per cent rise, but the union is holding out for 5 per cent, which it says would bring parity with police in other states.

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Article sourced from

The Age - Melbourne,Victoria,A03 September 2007

Umpire calls halt to police in

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The Age - Melbourne,Victoria,A
03 September 2007