Month of Action - WA Police Union

*Members! As part of our Week 1 action - Switch Off Duty - we are asking branches to send in photos of their work phones, face down with some of our template posters. These will be used in the mainstream media to push our message of disconeccting, a better rostering pattern and paying police officers what they deserve.

See the templates

Date: 20 October 2022

Members,

There comes a time in the life of every worker when you need to stand up for what you believe in.

That time has now come for members of the Western Australia Police Force.

Please ensure that you read the message below as it contains important information regarding your current and future industrial agreement:

We’ve hit a brick wall

On 1 April 2022, we submitted our log of claims with the Government detailing the pay and conditions that we believe that our members deserve.

Among other things, we asked for:

A year-on-year pay increase of five per cent over the next two years;
A longer rostering pattern, so that we can better plan family gatherings; and
Unless it’s an emergency, the right to disconnect outside of normal working hours.

Six months later, we still haven’t received a pay offer. Meanwhile the nurses, teachers and united workers have all received some form of offer.

We’re launching a ‘Month of Action’

In response to the Government’s intransigence, the WA Police Union will launch a ‘Month of Action’ commencing on Monday 24 October 2022.

As part of this action, we will withdraw all goodwill in respect of your policing effort.

Please note that these actions work on an escalating basis. So, whatever actions that you undertake in week 1, you should undertake in weeks 2, 3, and 4.

Week 1 – PROTECT and Switch Off Duty

Our number one priority is to ethically and safely discharge your duties as a WA Police officer. Follow our simple step-by-step guide to PROTECT your integrity and safety.
WA police officers need the Right to Disconnect because if you can’t switch off off duty, you can’t be on duty. Leave your work-issued mobile phones at the station when you head home. If you use you work phone as your personal phone, turn off all apps and work notifications following the advice from Commissioner Col Blanch around Off Duty Focus and do not answer work calls outside of your rostered hours.

Week 2 - Work to your award

Complete all of the administrative work associated with one job, before making yourself available for the next job.
Ensure that you take your allocated meal break. If you are disturbed, claim your allowances.

Week 3 – No goodwill

Do not start your shift early. Instead, be present and ready to commence duty at the minute of your rostered hours.
Conclude your shift at the rostered time. If you have to do overtime, speak with your supervisor to claim allowances.

Week 4 – No recalls. No Voluntary Return to Duty.

Do not report for duty away from your usual place of work.
Do not make yourself available for event policing that requires Voluntary Return to Work, unless you are properly rostered on to do so during your normal 80 hour fortnight. This includes recalls for operations such as Heatshield and Night-Safe.
As the agency continues to deny on-call allowance to police officers in regional WA while on weekly leave, it's time to stop answering the calls. No more goodwill.

We need your help

I recognise that many of you are now doing it tough, and that by asking you to not undertake Voluntary Return to Duty, that it may exacerbate those pressures. But, there is a bigger issue at play.

Policing is one of the most important services in our community. However, it can only be effective if police officers receive appropriate respite, resources and remuneration.

Throughout this entire process, the union will support you, and if need be, we will escalate our campaign.

We encourage Senior Supervisors to support members in the fight for better conditions and remuneration.

View our open letter to the Premier below