July 18, 2024 11:00am by David Farrar

Police Association lose arbitration

The Government has won a long-running pay dispute with the police union.

The parties could not agree on a pay deal after about a year of talks, so an independent arbitrator – employment law specialist Vicki Campbell – was brought in to decide which of the final offers would be adopted.

Today, the arbitrator was in favour of the Government’s offer, which includes a $1500 lump sum payment, a flat $5000 pay increase for officers, plus another 4% increase in July and again in 2025.

There will also be a 5.25% increase in allowances backdated to last November.

Also overtime at time and a half, which is very significant. I said previously the Government’s final offer (not the initial one) was very reasonable.

It is very significant that the arbitrator chose the Government’s offer. Off memory this is the only time in many decades that an arbitrator has not chosen the Police Association’s offer. This shows the Police Association let its members down by setting unrealistic expectations.