State: We can't afford to pay police officers more. Cops: OK - well we'll stop issuing petty traffic violations and speeding tickets to raise revenue

[Terminator]

The police union’s work-to-rule campaign over pay issues looks set to continue into next week after Treasurer Troy Buswell said today the State Government would meet the union on Tuesday for further negotiations “in good faith”.


BLOG: Do police deserve better?

The police campaign — which is pushing for a 15 per cent increase over three years instead of the Government’s offer worth 9.5 per cent over the same period — encourages officers to take up their right to a 40-minute lunch break at their station and run extensive checks on their vehicles and weapons.
The second stage of action involves refusing to issue traffic fines and undermining Multanova revenue by parking in front of the cameras to alert drivers to their presence.
Mr Buswell said he understood police were frustrated with the pay offer the State Government had made.
“We wish we could offer police officers more…but the facts are, given the impact of the global financial crisis on finances in WA, we’re not in that position,” he said.
“Our offer is a fair offer, notwithstanding that, I understand the frustration.”
Mr Buswell said while he was unaware of specific action officers planned to take, he did not believe community safety was in jeopardy.
“I know a lot of police officers and I can’t imagine that police officers would knowingly take industrial action which would reduce the safety and the services they provide to the public of WA,” he said.
“I remember the last police dispute where there was a range of activities they were engaged in… very careful though were the police officers not to impact on broader community safety and I expect that they will operate in much the same way this time.
“We’re engaged in a process of negotiations with the union (but) we quite simply can’t afford to meet their demands in the current financial environment.”
Assistant Police Commissioner Dominic Staltari assured the public today that the community would not be left waiting for urgent police services during the campaign.
Shadow police minister Margaret Quirk has described the State Government’s commitment to WA’s police force as “empty rhetoric”.
“The Government has managed to settle wage claims from the fire fighters, teachers, TAFE teachers and bus drivers,” Ms Quirk said.
“So one’s really got to question the bona fides of the Government who say they fully support police men and women but when it counts, they’ve gone missing in action.”
Police union president-elect Russell Armstrong said members were outraged after receiving a letter yesterday from the Department of Commerce warning that if a new pay deal was not struck by June 30, the State Government would refuse to back pay the increase.
The Government’s new policy of refusing to allow retrospective pay increases was introduced in April and will affect any agreements negotiated after July 1.
Mr Armstrong said it was an unprecedented step designed to bully officers into accepting the offer of 9.5 per cent.

[Motorwaycop]

Sounds like they have been taking lessons from our politicians.
They failed to agree our pay until some months after the review date and then would'nt pay the back pay.
We had to settle for 2.5% over the next 3 years.

[Morris]

Outstanding! Shade tree policing, no traffic stops, get the message across, especially if you can take care of the other agencies first.

Remember folks, cops are looked upon as nothing more than overpaid cannon fodder.