Police reject 3 per cent pay raise offer

A stoush over Queensland police pay will head to the industrial relations tribunal
after the union rejected Premier Anna Bligh's offer for an immediate three per cent
pay raise.
Ms Bligh offered police an immediate pay increase backdated to July 1, 2010 and the
opportunity to argue for more at the commission.
The pay offer rested on the condition that police be stripped of speed camera van
operating duties and replaced with civilian public servants.
The state government had originally offered police a 2.5 per cent annual pay raise
for the next three years saying it was working to budgetary constraints.
But the Police Union argued that was below inflation forecasts and less than the 4.5
per cent raise given to other public servants.
Union president Ian Leavers said he was bitterly disappointed with the state
government's latest offer.
"All of Queensland's police have been let down by Anna Bligh," he said.
"It's less than the cost of living and has strings attached, whereas other public
servants got 4.5 per cent with no strings attached."
He said police would consider industrial action but would not place public safety at
risk.
Ms Bligh said the stalemate brought both sides back to square one.
"I am disappointed the police unions have today rejected our offer because it would
have meant each and every week around an extra $38 for a constable, $47 for a senior
constable and $57 for a sergeant," she said in a statement.
"The government has now filed an application in the Queensland Industrial Relations
Commission seeking the assistance of the independent umpire in settling the
dispute."
Ms Bligh said the rejected deal would have resulted in Queensland being police paid
thousands of dollars more each year than their NSW and Victorian counterparts.
Police Minister Neil Roberts told AAP the commission hearing could be as early as
next week.
"The negotiations have been intense over the past few weeks... about 20 hours," he
said.
Mr Roberts said the plan to staff speed cameras with civilian operators would bring
Queensland into line with other states.
"The Northern Territory is the only remaining one where they predominately use
police force speed camera vans," he said.
"We were arguing for efficiency measures to offset any pay increase."