Police Minister Mark Mitchell says a rejection of the latest pay offer for police officers is “incredibly disappointing”.
More than 75% of Police Association members voted against the offer. The association president says the vote will send a “clear message to the Government”.
The association has said it will soon ask the mediator in this process to “immediately direct negotiations to final offer arbitration.”
Mitchell said late this afternoon: “This is an incredibly disappointing outcome.
“The offer was significantly better than what was presented in August last year, with an additional quarter of a billion dollars of government funding.
“The Government has been very open about the financial challenges we’ve inherited, and despite the challenging environment, this was a markedly better offer.”
The offer made included “the overtime rate that the association asked for” and a $1500 cash payment for police, according to Mitchell
It also “locked in a pay increase in the third year well beyond the forecast rate of inflation – something which may not have been guaranteed under the offer made last August.”
The Police Minister added: “It’s disappointing that police officers are now faced with an arbitration process that will add more time to what has already been a lengthy process.”
Officers looking for ‘a sincere effort’ — Police Association
Association president Chris Cahill said the vote was indicative of how the offer “falls well short of addressing officers’ concerns and very real needs.
“Our members were looking for a sincere effort by Government to correct the crippling erosion of police living standards caused by the cost-of-living crisis and to recognise the increased challenges and dangers police officers face in keeping New Zealanders safe.
“This offer fails to provide any real attempt to remedy the steady decline in officers’ salaries, particularly when measured against comparable professions’ salaries, such as teachers and nurses.”
He said the Government has “one more chance” to “lift their game in the remuneration stakes”.
Cahill continued: “We have a clear expectation that Government will now fund police to improve what it puts on the table at final offer arbitration.”