Over 16,000 members of the Victorian Police Association have voted in favour of a new pay agreement, putting an end to an 18-month standoff with the state government. The deal, approved by 76% of the members, guarantees an annual pay increase of 5% for frontline officers each year over the next four years. Other officers will receive a slightly lower annual raise of 4.5%.
While the agreement resolves the lengthy negotiation period, it falls short of the union’s initial demand for a 24% pay rise over four years. Additionally, it introduces changes to a long-held policy whereby retiring officers were entitled to a payment equivalent to a year’s salary for any unused sick leave.
In a statement, the police association expressed that the resolution of this industrial dispute marks just the beginning of necessary improvements needed to bolster support for frontline officers as they continue to serve the community. They emphasised the urgent need to address significant staffing shortages by focusing on enhancing recruitment and retention of police officers and Public Safety Officers (PSOs). The association also called for reforms within the criminal justice system to better assist the officers in their duties.
Meanwhile, Rick Nugent, the former emergency services commissioner, has stepped in as the acting police chief.