Draft pay deal eases threat of police action

Press, 25 January 1986, Page 1

Draft pay deal eases threat of police action

By

Patricia Herbert

in Wellington

Threats of industrial action by the police in pursuit of their pay claims faded yesterday with the negotiation of a draft settlement.

It will be presented to the Cabinet for a decision on Monday and until then carries the status only of a proposal, but the Minister of Police, Mrs Hercus, seems confident that it will be approved. Neither she nor the chief negotiator for the Police Association, Dr Bob Moodie, would give details of the revised package yesterday beyond saying that it conformed to the. parameters set by the Prime Minister, Mr Lange. The reference was to Mr Lange’s warning on Monday this week that, while the Government was prepared to reconsider its offer, it would not go above 30 per cent. That figure, he said, was "not going to be bettered.” However, within this limit, there was room to manoeuvre. The 30 per cent was made up of the 15.5 per cent adjustment given all State servants, a 4 per cent “catch-up” payment, a 5 per cent salary rise and increases on penal, overtime and night rates. Most likely is that some special payments will be built into the basic wage rise to bring it closer to the association’s demands. These were for an increase of 11 per cent for constables and sergeants and 8 per cent for higher ranks — on top of the 15.5 per cent and 4 per cent general movements. Whatever the new

agreement comprises, it was received with applause when communicated behind closed doors to the association’s national council yesterday afternoon. Dr Moodie also declared himself “very happy” with what he described as a complex restructuring of the initial offer, but declined to comment further. Negotiations began at 8.30 a.m. but not until 3 p.m. did Dr Moodie and members of the association meet Mrs Hercus across the table. They did not go to her office. When eventually they met, it was at Police Headquarters. -L Before then, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ken Thompson, had served as a go-between,

taking proposals from one camp to the other. Asked later if he had acted as shuttle-cock, he agreed but said his role had been that simple. "The key point is that we have been at it all day and we have got to this stage, which I find very satisfactory,” he said. The association’s claims were drawn up in consultation with Mr Thompson. It had intended to press for more but he said he could support only the 11 per cent and 8 per cent and, since last August, that has been the agreed position. The difficulty has been in getting the Government to accept it, but even yesterday’s compromise solution will probably put the bottom rank on more than $30,000 a year.

Mrs Hercus this week released details of the Cabinet’s initial offer and this has probably now been raised. Her figures were that it would give a first-year constable $29,611 a year, an increase before tax of $6973. A constable after six years service would have got $32,316, up $7613; a first-year sergeant would have been raised $B7BB to $37,288 a year; a firstyear senior-sergeant, $9741 to $41,318 and an inspector; $lO,BBB to $46,174.

Nor would this have been all. The figures did not include overtime in excess of five hours or performance incentive payments of between 1 and 6 per cent on paid rates.