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EB6 - Update
• At approximately 6:00pm that evening, Shane Klien phoned Steve
Mahoney to advise that formal written approval to commence
negotiations had been received and that the QPS were prepared to meet
that evening or the next day. Steve indicated that due to prior
commitments such a meeting was not feasible;
• On Tuesday 23 March Shane Klien emailed the parties “confirming the
verbal offer to meet and commence negotiations today at a time and place
of your choosing”, and further stated that “the QPS and Government
representatives are eager to get formal negotiations underway”. Whilst
there was nothing improper in these statements, we do believe they
constituted a subtle attempt to portray the QPUE as being reluctant to meet with
the QPS. To ensure that our position would not be misrepresented at a future date,
Steve Mahoney emailed Shane Klien as follows:
Shane
I am very pleased that the QPS has finally been given formal approval to commence
negotiations in relation to EB6. I have responded to your email in writing to place on the record that
the QPUE was not able to meet this week because both Ian Leavers and Ross Musgrove had to
travel out of Brisbane in relation to a death in custody and other representatives were occupied
with the Union’s Annual Conference. Whilst I appreciate that you did not attend the aborted meeting
on 24 February, our involvement at conference should have come as no surprise to other QPS
Representatives as we clearly noted at this meeting that we had prior engagements this week.
I note your comment that “I am further instructed to offer that QPS and Government
representatives are eager to get formal negotiations underway” and also wish to place on record
that we have been eager to commence negotiations for the past month. As a result of our phone
discussions over the past few days I confirm our attendance at the meeting at 10:00am on Tuesday,
30 March and look forward to finally making some progress with negotiations.
Regards
Steve
• The parties met on 30 March with a Government/QPS negotiating team that comprised
(except for yourself) of totally different representatives. The Unions were verbally
advised of the 2.5% per annum offer and you made, with respect, some vague and
confusing references to other items. It was at this stage - after five weeks of inaction
followed by a failure to table a proper Log of Claims - that the union accused the QPS
of failing to negotiate in good faith;
• Unfortunately your most recent correspondence only confirms that the QPS is still
withholding items for negotiation on the basis that “the QPS reserves its position with
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Queensland Police Union Journal May 2010