Commencement of Industrial Agreement negotiations

Despite all that is occurring due to the current global pandemic, WAPOU has commenced bargaining with representatives from the Department of Justice and Public Sector Labour Relations for the Prison Officers Industrial Agreement.

The current agreement expires 10 June 2020.

At this stage, we are still bargaining in the context of the existing Government Wages Policy with the aim of locking in a further two-year agreement under that policy. There is no guarantee in the current economic climate of what Government Wages Policy will look like when the Treasurer delivers the State Budget later in the year. Other States have already announced wage freezes for the public sector.

A brief log of claims has been presented to the Department which was developed following the surveying of members.

The focus of the bargaining team will be to secure salary increases in accordance with current wages policy that factor in the annualised wage, without no loss of existing conditions.

WAPOU is also looking to seek improvements for members in the regions, particularly those sites that are hard to staff.

We are seeking improvements in conditions in recognition of those that are rostered to work on days such as Christmas Day.

We are also seeking to tidy up clauses that are have been the subject of disputes between the parties over the life of the current agreement.

Members are usually kept up to date with developments in the negotiations through a series of branch meetings across sites. In the current climate, all attempts will be made to keep members informed through the weekly newsletter.