Police Union 'begrudgingly' accepts pay deal

The Western Australian Police Union says it has begrudgingly agreed to a wage policy which will mean minimum pay rises of $3130 for police officers in 2023.

The new deal with the state government means Police and Aboriginal liaison officers will receive the better of either a $60 per week wage increase or a 3 per cent per annum increase, depending on their individual pay arrangements.

A one-off $3,000 cost of living payment will also be made to officers, while a provision for career breaks of up to 12 months to assist with well-being and support police retention has been established.

Compassionate leave for early pregnancy loss, 24 weeks’ superannuation on unpaid parental leave and foster carer’s leave will also be introduced.

Pay negotiations were drawn out process, with the WAPU among the unions previously calling for a 5 per cent increase and threats of member action in response to previous government offers.

The WAPU said offer accepted today was the third and final from the Police Commissioner, and that it was not reflective of the work WA Police did. 

WAPU president Paul Gale said union members were tired of the negotiation, with member voter turnout coming in at 51.8 per cent. Of that number, 57 per cent voted in support of the deal.

"In December, our members emphatically rejected the second offer to them," he said.

"Today, we have an agitated and exhausted membership who are tired of the continued negotiation that has yielded an offer that fails to recognise their efforts and assist them in this current economic climate."

WAPU estimates a record number of officers resigned or retired from the police force last financial year, with 417 resignations and 99 retirements recorded over 12 months. 

In contrast, Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston said today’s outcome was positive for all parties.

“A majority of WA Police Union members have voted in support of this wages policy offer, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to public service,” he said.

“I commend the WA Police Union for their resolve and good faith in reaching this outcome.”

The WAPU deal means the state now has in place 40 agreements covering more than 160,000 public sector employees under its state wages policy, spanning more than 80 per cent of the public sector.

The government said wage policy negotiations were ongoing with unions covering firefighters, prison officers and registered nurses.