West Australian police have accepted a three per cent offer, well below the five per cent rise they wanted, with the union saying it was begrudgingly done.

July 13, 2023

West Australian police and the state government have reached a deal over wages, with the union saying the offer was begrudgingly accepted.

Officers will receive a minimum three per cent pay rise and shift and other allowance adjustments.

The third and final offer was well below the five per cent rise police asked for but it’s been sweetened with a one-off $3000 cost of living payment.

Staff will also benefit from increased leave and superannuation, with every officer to receive at least an additional $3130 in their pay packet.

Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston said the government had bargained in good faith.

“A majority of WA Police Union members have voted in support of this wages policy offer, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to public service,” he said on Thursday.

The union wasn’t as enthusiastic, saying the government had failed to acknowledge the continued hard work police do to serve and protect the people of WA.

President Paul Gale said officers routinely faced assault on the job and a record number had left the force in the last 12 months.

“They are spat on, kicked, punched, and more because they are doing their job,” he said.

“We have an agitated and exhausted membership who are tired of the continued negotiation that has yielded an offer that fails to recognise their efforts and assist them in this current economic climate.”

Mr Gale said almost half of union members had not bothered to vote on the latest offer.

Of those who did participate, 57 per cent voted yes and 43 per cent voted no.

About 132,000 or 80 per cent of public sector workers have already accepted state government wages deals.

Negotiations continue with firefighters, prison officers and nurses who remain unhappy with the Labor government’s offers.