Aug 2000 Volume 81 Number 8 "serving the protectors"
By Mark Carroll PASA Assistant Secretary

Enterprise Bargaining

Police Association members would be aware that our current enterprise agreement expires on November 18, 2000. PASA and SAPOL will then enter into negotiations for a third enterprise agreement.

The Industrial and Employee Relations Act, 1994, is the legislation applicable to the regulation of industrial matters by enterprise agreements. Section 83 of the act states that an enterprise agreement cannot exceed a term of two years and, despite the expiration of the term, the agreement continues in force until superseded or rescinded. Consequently, all conditions and pay rates ensconced in the current agreement remain in force after the expiration date of November 18, 2000. The parties will then attempt to negotiate a third agreement, which would supersede the second agreement.

The Police Association is presently preparing a claim on behalf of members to take to the negotiating table. The association has identified a number of issues raised by delegates and branches that will form the basis of our claim. These issues and the association’s claim generally will be distributed to members after the annual conference of delegates in October.

I offer all members the opportunity to have input into the formulation of the association’s claim. This can be done direct to your delegates or branches, or in writing to the association. This process is invaluable in assisting the committee of management in its deliberations and determination of the claim.

In relation to non-members of the association, the Employee Ombudsman or an agent of their choice may represent those 21 few. The association would be happy to represent them on payment of $535.80. This would also include 12 months’ membership of the association, a 12-month life insurance policy, legal funding and a host of other benefits.

I echo the sentiments of PASA president, Peter Alexander, in the President’s Message (Police Journal, July 2000). If history is a guide then the success of this third enterprise agreement will rely upon the commitment of members both collectively and financially. Future benefits obtained will unfortunately flow onto non-members without any contribution from them. I applaud the commitment of current members, whose collective contribution has seen police salaries increase by some 30% over the last two agreements, which has gone a way to arresting the decline in police salaries as identified by Professor Lawson Savery in the 1995 campaign.

Association officials will be visiting most workplaces in September to discuss the enterprise bargaining process and listen to your thoughts and ideas. Times and dates will be announced in August. These meetings will be for members only. I encourage members to make themselves available to discuss, argue and debate the issues you have interest in for EB3.

Police Federation of Australia

Association members are also members of the South Australian branch of the Police Federation of Australia (PFA). The PFA has been actively lobbying the Federal Government to exempt police officers across Australia from the provisions of the fringe benefits legislation. This process is continuing and the outcomes will be advised in due course.

The Industrial Planning Committee of the PFA recently met in Perth to prepare a strategic plan for the PFA. The areas discussed included lobbying, national research, conferences, seminars and publications, industrial services, and professional development. The draft will be presented to the national executive meeting in August for ratification.

The PFA is in a unique position in Australia in that it represents 40,000 members of the policing profession across each State or Territory jurisdiction. There is now a recognition that the Commonwealth will have an increasing role in co-ordination/co-operation with the States and Territories in dealing with:

• Emerging international issues.

• Responding to increased community concerns at a national level.

• Accepting increased responsibility for resource allocation and funding generally.

In these changing circumstances the PFA recognizes a need to represent the policing profession in Australia. It is the only organization in Australia that can speak on behalf of every police officer in the country. As the PFA develops, it will become an influential national body on the Australian political landscape, of which we are part.

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