By Tanya Steele
Industrial action from police continues across Victoria with Belgrave Police Station holding their walk out this week.
Police members at the Belgrave police station walked off the job on Thursday 12 December for the first time in 25 years.
As cars drove past the station beeping in support members stood together for 30 minutes, holding a banner reading ‘Breaking Point’.
Acting Senior Sergeant Luke Schroder has been with the Belgrave Police Station for a few months but was stationed in Monbulk before that.
“I’m in support of the action because I think members are just tired, some of that tiredness isn’t going to be resolved through an EBA, but it exacerbates the frustrations,” said Acting Snr Sgt Schroder.
Members walked off the job united in a bid to get their employer back to the table and the walkouts have been occurring across Victoria, with Lilydale Police Station holding its walkout last week.
Victoria Police has applied to the Fair Work Commission to have the EBA dispute declared intractable, and have the commission determine the financial and working future of the police and PSOs.
Wayne Gatt, Secretary of The Police Association Victoria (TPAV) said they don’t want Victoria Police to wash its hands of their members’ future, they want it to return to the negotiating table and have some involvement in looking after its workforce.
“With over 1000 vacancies, 800 plus members off sick and more police leaving than entering the building that will host today’s walkout, Victoria Police needs to take ownership here and correct the ship that is currently sailing off-course,” he said.
“Don’t complain about your lack of resources and close 43 stations down to rationalise your troops and then throw your hands up and say this is a problem for someone else to fix.”
TPAV members are seeking a six per cent pay rise per annum over four years and an end to unpaid work and the current EBA expired in November 2023.
A police officer for over 30 years and stationed at Belgrave for 12 years, Leading Senior Constable Jason Fox said morale has been low and officers are at a breaking point.
“Morale is possibly the worst it’s ever been – we are short by thousands across stations,” he said.
“We are understaffed, we need better conditions and support.”
LS Constable Fox said that whilst the pay increase would be welcome, improving conditions is vital as members on the ground are the first responders and often stay late without pay as their shift ends.
“You’ve got to come in to relieve your unit – so they don’t get jobs at the end of their shift,” he said.
Sergeant Vaughn Atherton said that the issues are long-reaching and there has always been an expectation that officers will do extra time.
“There’s no handover time, no bonuses,” he said.
“There’s never been anything more about the handover and the time that the officers spend on their own time doing that handover.”
“Members should get a decent pay rate for what they do for a job.”
Mr Gatt said their members want Victoria Police to stop being part of the problem.
“Instead, to return to the bargaining table and be part of the solution to this dispute,” he said.
More daily work stoppages will follow at police stations and work units across metropolitan Melbourne and the state.
