Police are stepping up their industrial action campaign - seeking a use of force allowance and a higher night shift penalty - as compromises to give sworn officers a better deal while the federal government remains immoveable on granting pay rises above the public service cap.
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Australian Federal Police Association president Alex Caruana expressed his frustration at the lack of support within government for police officers who "risk their lives every day to keep the community safe".
"Our members [federal police, including those working in the ACT police] were offered a paltry $871 sign-on bonus to sign up to a new pay deal which will still leave our officers among the lowest paid in the country," he said.
"It's just not good enough."
The United Firefighters Union - Aviation Branch (UFUA) also had been battling for a better pay deal and recently were offered a new agreement by Air Services Australia which offers a $6000 sign-on bonus.
"AFP police officers and protective service officers are frontline first responders, just like aviation firefighters," he said
"It is good to see that the APSC and the federal government have acknowledged that aviation firefighters aren't traditional public servants by allowing Air Services to improve the offer," Mr Caruana said.
The old enterprise agreement for members of the federal police has now been rolled over as negotiations continue.
Police have been frustrated by their enterprise bargaining negotiating framework, which forces them under an 11.2 per cent salary cap increase over three years, as set by the Australian Public Service Commission. Negotiations on a new agreement began last year.
Mr Caruana said that some of the counter proposals the association offered to the AFP was that police members receive a $5000 use-of-force qualification allowance, improved penalty rates for working outside standard public service hours, and an improved remote working allowance.
Police are writing slogans on operational vehicles to make the public aware of their industrial issues and are making plans to step up their program, including a potential ban on overtime.
Meanwhile the longer local negotiations stall, the more rank and file sworn officers in the federal ranks become tempted by big incentives to join police services in other states such as Queensland, which has a $20,000 sign-on bonus.
