INDUSTRIAL REPORT

from WAPU Police News June 2022

FIELD REPORT

PAUL HUNT

Secretary

Back in the UnionsWA fold

TO ASSIST OUR FIGHT FOR MORE REMUNERATION, MORE RESOURCES AND MORE RESPITE for our members, we’ve restored our UnionsWA affiliation.

The agreement … reflects the commitment of members of the Public Sector Alliance to collective action to secure investment in the public sector. However, it doesn’t override the democratic right of any group of workers to accept or reject a government offer.

UnionsWA is Western Australia’s peak union body, representing more than 30 affiliated unions whose combined memberships exceed 150,000 people. In 2010, we renounced our UnionsWA affiliation because we didn’t feel it was benefitting us. In 2022, we’ve returned to the UnionsWA fold because we see merit in being part of its current collective, a key initiative of which is the Public Sector Alliance.

Last year, UnionsWA and several of its affiliate unions banded together to form the Public Sector Alliance, a group that uses its combined might campaigning to: • end the restrictive public sector wages policy • effect a return to genuine collective bargaining in the public sector • secure outcomes that represent a meaningful investment in public sector workers.

As a member of the Public Sector Alliance, we’re committed to working collectively with the likes of the Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association of WA, United Firefighters Union of WA and WA Prison Officers’ Union by: • using our available resources to secure a successful outcome for all workers covered by the public sector union alliance in the 2022 round of bargaining • communicating any offer made to us with all other parties to the alliance prior to the balloting of our membership • not endorsing any balloted offer that doesn’t secure recurring investment greater than the restrictive public sector wages policy.

The agreement above reflects the commitment of members of the Public Sector Alliance to collective action to secure investment in the public sector. However, it doesn’t override the democratic right of any group of workers to accept or reject a government offer.

PROTECT INTEGRITY AND SAFETY

Workloads are increasing, particularly for officers in charge. Fatigue is impacting half of the workforce’s performance. Work-life balance is worsening, especially in urban areas. Unpaid overtime is common, notably for senior ranks. The WA Police Force isn’t doing enough to support the mental health of coppers. Morale is at an all-time low.

The findings of our Workplace, Health and Member Services Survey and the dismissive response to them from the Honourable Paul Papalia CSC MLA are why our members must follow our simple step-by-step guide – the centrefold of this edition of Police News is a pull-out poster – to PROTECT their integrity and safety because the Minister for Police, the agency he oversees and the McGowan Government in which he has four portfolios aren’t going to do it for them.

PROTECT is an acronym formed by combining the initial letters of prepare, report, obtain, track, equip, connect and task.

To paraphrase the comments of one Facebook user after we launched our campaign online, PROTECT is about our members being as safe as possible to do one of the world’s most dangerous jobs. It’s about them, their welfare and the well-being of their loved ones. It’s a checklist for them to follow. It’s an education piece for all of our members.

From recharging personal batteries to not submitting to unnecessary risks, it’s important our members don’t skip any of the seven PROTECT steps because they shouldn’t task before they prepare, report, obtain, track, equip and connect in that specific order. Certainly, they shouldn’t kit up before they’ve completed the first four PROTECT steps or they risk breaching a procedural or legislative change, which may expose them to a managerial review or criminal charge.

Look after self. Look after all. Adhere to PROTECT and accomplish both.

INDUSTRIAL REPORT

PROTECT is about our members being as safe as possible to do one of the world’s most dangerous jobs. It’s about them, their welfare and the wellbeing of their loved ones. It’s a checklist for them to follow. It’s an education piece for all of our members.

DON’T FORGET TO USE THIRD REST DAYS

Finally, a reminder to our members to use their third rest days before they expire at the end of June. Securing a third rest day was one of the wins we negotiated into the Western Australia Police Force Industrial Agreement 2021. Good faith bargaining between the WA Police Force and us for a replacement industrial agreement is under way, and five unconditional rest days is a major item in our log of claims.

Remuneration, resources and respite are the three central themes of our log of claims.

A 5% pay rise annually is one of our remuneration claims, along with: • increasing shift allowances, overtime rates and missed meal rates • introducing penalty payments on significant public holidays • insuring officers with universal private health cover.

A longer rostering pattern is one of our resources claims, along with: • setting fair expectations for the hours of duty/ availability of commissioner officers and officers in charge • settling extra cleaning days for officers vacating

Government Regional Officer Housing properties • securing cost refunds for officers forced into intratown transfers.

And a right to disconnect is one of our respite claims, along with: • realising the five rest days officers need to safeguard their mental health • removing the conditions around rest days to make them unconditional • redefining the weekend to mean 0000 Saturday to 0000 Monday.

Dinner honours recently retired members

In April, we hosted our 2022 Annual Retirement Dinner to celebrate the careers of 33 members who retired from the WA Police Force in 2021, as well as our longer retired members from the 2018, 2019 and 2020 cohorts who were unable to attend last year’s inaugural event.

“We were proud to stand alongside our retired members during their careers. Our annual retirement dinners enable us to thank our retired members for the opportunity to represent, protect and support them.”

The Fleet Network- and Slater and Gordon Lawyerssponsored function, which took place at Optus Stadium with the exterior of the arena and the adjacent Matagarup Bridge lit up in blue, acknowledged more than 1,000 years of WA Police Force service and WA Police Union membership.

Retired Senior Constable Michael Carpenter gave 48 years of his life to the WA Police Force before his retirement. The dinner’s attendees included eight members whose vocations lasted at least 40 years.

An initiative of our board first held in 2020, our annual retirement dinners aim to appropriately recognise our retired members. Mick Kelly, President of the WA Police Union, said he hoped the well-received concept would continue growing in significance.

“Planning an event during a pandemic is problematic, but we were delighted to salute these members’ careers and more than 1,000 years of WA Police Force service and WA Police Union membership,” he said.

“Pending COVID-19 requirements, we hope our future dinners will allow more families and friends to accompany our retired members because we understand the sacrifices our loved ones make while we work.

“It was fantastic to catch up with familiar faces and you could really sense the camaraderie and mateship as people reminisced.”

Mr Kelly said he felt privileged to represent the WA Police Union at the special occasion and present each retired member with a memento.

“We were proud to stand alongside our retired members during their careers. Our annual retirement dinners enable us to thank our retired members for the opportunity to represent, protect and support them.” ▷