Queensland Police Union Journal

Updates: EB and The Stewart Restructure
Updates: EB and The
Stewart Restructure
We’re not surprised to receive repeated enquiries about our
Enterprise Bargaining process and the Stewart Restructure,
because both are very important to members and both have been
farcically dealt with by both the QPS and the government so far.
Unfortunately, we have
very little extra information to report to
members, because there has still been
very little progress.
Below is an abridged update and
background of both processes. See
past Journals and eNews updates for
more in-depth analysis.
ENTERPRISE BARGAINING
The QPU continues to be frustrated by
the QPS with the current EB process.
The QPU initiated EB negotiations
in January after the successful staff
surveys were evaluated.
A summary of our actions are below.
February 18 – Response from COP
• ‘In accordance with s.143 (2)
and s.143 (3) of the Industrial
Relations Act 1999, please accept
this correspondence as formal
notification of the Queensland
Police Service intention to
commence discussions to renegotiate
an Agreement to replace
the Queensland Police Service
Determination 2010.’
March 1 – First meeting of Single
Bargaining Unit
• Attending:
• QPU representatives
• QPCOU representatives
• QPS representative
• QPS replied they had authority to
commence negotiations, however
were not in a position to either
make a wages offer or table the
QPS Log of Claims.
• Asked Unions to table Logs of
Claims, but we declined because
this is not ‘bargaining in good
faith’.
March 19 – Correspondence from GP
to COP
• ‘To date almost three weeks
later, there has been absolutely
no contact, nor attempts at
an explanation from the QPS
in relation to ongoing EBA
negotiations and the delays.
29 January – General President (GP)
correspondence to Commissioner of
Police (COP)
• Reference to Section 1.7 of the
QPS Determination was made
which states that the parties will
commence discussions at least four
months prior to 30 June 2013
• ‘On this basis, the parties should
commence negotiations on or prior
to 1 March 2013 and the QPU is in a
position to commence negotiations
on whatever date is suitable to the
QPS. It is imperative that the QPS
ensure that they have been provided
with “authority to negotiate” prior
to this date so as to avoid the fiasco
that occurred at the commencement
of negotiations for EBA6.’
“It is unreasonable to assert that you and your
representatives are authorised to negotiate
when no wage offer nor a QPS Log of Claims
has ever been approved or authorised by the
State Government. Either you can negotiate a
wage offer or you cannot. It is quite simple.”
• Queensland Government
Public Sector Commission
Representatives
• Both Unions advised they were
able to table respective Logs of
Claims.
• Asked the QPS if they had ‘authority
to commence negotiations’.
‘It is of considerable concern that
there has been no meaningful
enterprise bargaining meetings
whatsoever at this stage, with no
indication from the QPS as to when
such discussions could commence.
This delay in the commencement
of meaningful negotiations is of
66 Queensland Police Union Journal June 2013