Victorian police officers have rejected a landmark pay deal that would have introduced a nine-day fortnight schedule.
At today’s vote, 43 per cent voted to accept the pay deal, but the other 57 per cent have ordered Victoria Police and their union back to the negotiating table.
“What is clear, is that the majority of members felt that they could not endorse the proposed agreement,” Police Association Secretary Wayne Gatt said.
“What is unclear is precisely why. We will get to work to understand why and act upon it.”
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Victoria’s police and nurses have both rejected pay deals offering a four per cent raise this year.
Victoria’s paramedics are still negotiating their pay deal, and almost unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in Ambulance Victoria’s leadership.
Of the 4200 paramedics who voted almost 98 per cent have no confidence in executives at Ambulance Victoria.
“That is an earth-shattering wake-up call to the board, to the government, that the workforce believes that the wrong people are in charge of Ambulance Victoria,” Victorian Ambulance Union Secretary Danny Hill said.
About 100 paramedics chanted outside Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas’s Gisborne office, demanding a change in leadership.
The protests come after a paramedic finishing up an 18-hour shift rolled their ambulance near the NSW border at the start of July.
“We respect our people’s right to voice their concerns,” Ambulance Victoria Chief Jane Miller said.
“We are committed to rebuilding the trust of the workforce in our executive team.”
But the Premier may not be so patient.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan however urged the parties to resolve the dispute quickly.
“This is not a sustainable situation,” she said today.
“We do need to see these matters resolved.”
The Health minister will meet with management at Ambulance Victoria next week.
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