The Police Association Journal november 2009

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IR News 9 Warragul members win fight to save their variable roster Warragul members have been rewarded by their firm stance last month by having successfully warded off attempts by the Force to unilaterally impose an 8-hour roster upon them to replace their variable roster. Following much debate and negotiation between the Association and the Force in relation to this matter, Warragul police station has recently had a new variable roster business case approved by Region 5, resulting in a resumption of its variable roster from 11 October. It is hoped this outcome will ultimately pave the way for a restoration of variable rosters in one form or other at those stations which had previously worked them until their recent termination by the Force. The variable roster dispute has been an ongoing issue for several months. Following the decision by the Full Bench of the then Australian Industrial Relations Commission in April this year, variable hours rosters at both Hastings and Rosebud Police Stations were terminated. This decision led the Victoria Police Force to unilaterally terminate variable-hours rosters at a number of country police stations throughout the state even though, in the Association’s view and in the view of the vast majority of members affected, these changes were unnecessary and uncalled for. During September, the Association visited the majority of stations threatened with termination of their variable-hour roster to explain the ramifications of the decision of the Force to terminate many variable hours rosters as from 27 September 2009. At these meetings, it was explained that it was now a matter for members at each variable hours roster workplace to determine collectively whether they would continue to work a variable hours roster which would be at odds with an instruction by the Force. Of the 14 workplaces visited, our members at Warragul Police Station, with the support of their colleagues at Morwell, Traralgon and Sale Police Stations, determined that they would continue to work their variable-hours roster despite an instruction to the contrary. Whilst the members enjoyed the full support of the Association, it was ultimately their decision and we applaud the efforts of our Warragul Courtesy Warragul & Drouin Gazette. members. These members sent a clear message that they were not going to be unfairly pushed around by an employer with an unreasonable agenda. Warragul Police Station now has a new variable-hours roster after its business case was approved by Region 5 which began to operate from 11 October. Police Association Assistant Secretary, Bruce McKenzie said he was disappointed that this dispute had gone as far as it did. “It was caused by the Force continuing to ignore the less palatable outcomes of the Full Bench decision, by ignoring what members were telling them, and ignoring the Certified Agreement which clearly allows for a variable-hours roster, determined by the majority of members at any workplace. There is no evidence whatsoever that has been produced to the Commission or elsewhere, that shows 12-hour rosters, including night shifts, to be inherently unsafe”, said Bruce. The Association intends to further discuss this matter with the Force, with a view to bringing about an outcome to this dispute that meets the members’ needs, contributes to their work/life balance and provides a superior policing service to the community. During the course of this dispute, the Association decided that it would take legal action in the Federal Court, and argue that the Force were in breach of the Certified Agreement, and acting against the spirit of the AIRC’s Full Bench decision. While success has been achieved on behalf of Warragul, this dispute still lingers on behalf of those members from other regional locations who were unilaterally stripped of their variable-hours roster against their will. Bruce McKenzie says that common sense and a way forward in this dispute can continue to prevail without having to resort to legal action. “In the wake of the successful outcome at Warragul, the Association intends to visit members whose variable rosters were recently terminated with a view to re-visiting their dispute and seeking their instructions on how they would like us to proceed”, Bruce said. Bruce insists that the Association will continue to use every avenue to deliver an outcome to our members currently working variable-hours rostering that assists them and assists their communities. www.tpav.org.au The Police Association Journal November 2009
10 Hume booms But police numbers continue to diminish Broadmeadows and Craigieburn, in Melbourne’s north are in one of the biggest growth areas in the state. In recent years the population has tripled and it is still growing, particularly Craigieburn, but the numbers of police available to serve the community is decreasing. Members at Craigieburn have been told that the station is ‘at strength’ yet it is seven or eight members down on the number stationed there 10 years ago. Broadmeadows is in the same position. They have lost six positions since March this year. They were 17 members better off in 2002. Of the 37 o/rs on the roster 22 are PCETs. At the time of writing, 13 of the PCETs hadn’t completed the driving school. Combine this decrease in actual members on the roster with an increased workload because of the growing population and it is a recipe for disaster. Craigieburn Police Station. The members at Craigieburn also have to adapt to an eighthour roster, following the Force’s mandatory abolition of variable rosters. The ideal staffing at Craigieburn is one member in the watch house, two members on the van and a supervisor. Preferably there should be two members in the watch house, but that is usually not possible. On weekends a second car is an imperative on Friday and Saturday nights up to 2.00 am and on Sunday afternoon. When possible an extra car works on Monday to Friday from 1.00 pm to 9.00 pm. A recent roster could only provide a second car on two days in the fortnight, due to the lack of members available. At Broadmeadows, because of the ‘A’ Category cells, there must always be two members and a supervisor in the watch house as well as the van crews. Shifts are staggered with members beginning at 7.00 am, 9.00 am and 1.00 pm to ensure there is a van on the road and sufficient troops to cover the watch house shifts and to put a second car on the road during peak periods. The van crews in both areas go from job to job, with very little time for proactive patrols. The work load is such in this area that Craigieburn spends a lot of time backing-up their colleagues at Broadmeadows. One member told The Police Association Journal that the Craigieburn van can spend up to 30 per cent of its time on the road in the Broadmeadows response zone. There’s only been one foot patrol in Broadmeadows in the past 12 months. Back in 2004 they were a regular occurrence, particularly around the railway station and shopping centre. Domestic violence is a major problem in both areas. Broadmeadows has the second highest domestic violence rate in the state and only one dedicated family violence officer. Members told The Police Association Journal that they can do the paperwork required in their sleep; they’ve completed the forms so often. And the story is the same in Craigieburn. “The number of domestics we have on a Sunday afternoon is extraordinary,” says one member from Craigieburn. More senior members will remember when the 251 supervisor always had a driver and was available to respond to calls as well as supervise the crews on the road. A member at Craigieburn says that the 251 unit always works one-up and for this reason does not respond to jobs. On one occasion the 251 was in a standoff with a violent offender. He called in ‘Code 9’ and had to wait 22 minutes before help arrived. “It’s just too dangerous out there to respond to jobs on your own,” one member says. Like so many stations, corro shifts are extremely rare at Craigieburn and Broadmeadows. Members have to find time to do their corro during shifts, on quiet night shifts or in their own time. It is something that causes stress for many. “If members get behind we have to roster them on for a corro shift,” says one member at Craigieburn, “but that is a rarity. Members just get their corro done, quite often on their own time.” A matrix of Broadmeadows’ rosters from November 2008 until August this year showed that members had, on average, 1.6 corro days over the nine-month period. “The trouble is, even if you do get a corro day and something comes up you have to respond. There aren’t enough people to make sure you can get your corro done uninterrupted,” says a member. Rostering when there aren’t any spare bodies available is a tricky business. With creative rostering members at Craigieburn get at least every third weekend off, and sometimes every second weekend off. Those in charge of the rosters also try and avoid the quick change over and do their best to accommodate members’ requests for days off. Quick change overs are a reality November 2009 The Police Association Journal www.tpav.org.au
Page 1 and 2: VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11 November 2009
Page 3 and 4: 3 President’s Message By Brian Ri
Page 5 and 6: 6 IR News Police Regulation Amendme
Page 7: 8 Legal News When is the best time
Page 11 and 12: 12 Cover Story - Mick Miller Exclus
Page 13 and 14: 14 The Association’s Greg Davies,
Page 15 and 16: 16 Remembrance Day Address “Payin
Page 17 and 18: 18 Potential asbestos exposure duri
Page 19 and 20: 20 Retired and Life Members’ Dinn
Page 25 and 26: 26 Special Report photos www.suzywo
Page 27 and 28: 28 Your Letters The gift of life Th
Page 29 and 30: 30 Executive Minutes Photography by
Page 31 and 32: 32 Member Classifieds Member Classi
Page 33 and 34: 34 Delegates Police Association Del

The Police Association Journal november 2009

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