VIC: Government looks at alternative to police union

AAP General News (Australia)
04-01-1999
VIC: Government looks at alternative to police union

By Alan Gale, Industrial Correspondent

MELBOURNE, April 1 AAP - Victorian police are defecting from their union, according to
Premier Jeff Kennett, who today said he wanted to offer them an alternative form of
representation.

The Police Association, which represents 98 per cent of the state's force and has been
waging a war of words with the premier over police numbers, recently passed a motion of no
confidence in Mr Kennett.

According to the union, the force is about 1,200 under strength and another 800 officers
are needed to provide adequate policing.

A demonstration this week by anti-uranium mining protesters and a state visit by the prime
minister of Vietnam have stretched police resources to the extent that booze buses have been
taken off the road.

Mr Kennett told 3AW this morning that the association had become "more militant" since it
affiliated with the Victorian Trades Hall and members were defecting because the union was no
longer seen as independent.

"There are a number of police who have come to us and say they are not happy with the
Police Association any longer," Mr Kennett said.

"They don't have confidence in it and they don't want the Police Association to be
associated with Trades Hall Council ... and we have trouble with them being associated with
Trades Hall Council because the police are different from a normal employment group.

"There are a number of police personnel who don't like the association, don't want to be
part of it ... I'm actually looking at another way of meeting their needs without them having
to be a member of the Police Association now that it's become a Trades Hall Council
affiliate."

Comment was being sought from the association.

AAP ag/er/gl

KEYWORD: POLICE UNION (CARRIED EARLIER)

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