Any application by officers for protected industrial action to disrupt parliament will be “strenuously” opposed by Australian Federal Police.
Police members could go on strike for the first time this century after they were offered what their union deemed a “toxic” pay deal.
The AFP said officers could not lawfully walk off the job this week as parliament sat, because the action needed five full business days’ notice.
“If the AFP is notified of protected industrial action that could impact on next week’s sitting, the AFP would strenuously oppose this application in the Fair Work Commission,” the force said in a statement on Monday,
Australian Federal Police Association president Alex Caruana said while there were contingency plans, parliament would need to “shut down” if the threat level was unsafe without federal police.
“Ultimately we’re trying to disrupt parliament, that’s our goal,” he said.
The AFP said it “encourages the AFPA to be mindful of its language, noting any baseless suggestion that resources could lawfully be withdrawn can have a chilling impact on stakeholders and the wider public”.
Politicians and political events will not be guarded by the AFP unless there is a “significant” threat, with officers to be temporarily pulled from investigating crimes related to the National Disability Insurance Scheme and tax office.
The breakdown in negotiations comes after Commonwealth public servants, including federal police, were offered an 11.2 per cent increase over three years with added work-from-home provisions.
“We are going to make it hard for them and this is a clear way to send the message to the politicians, particularly the current government, that they need to do better for our members,” Mr Caruana said.
He said up to five days’ notice had to be given before industrial action was taken, which would result in police leaving for their entire shifts.
The union argues police officers should not be placed in the same category as desk-job public servants.
Mr Caruana said the AFP were the lowest-paid officers in the country and would leave the force in droves because of uncompetitive wages and conditions.
Under pressure and under-resourced, six per cent of members surveyed indicated they would leave the AFP immediately if the proposed pay deal was enforced, while more than two-thirds said they would look for jobs elsewhere.
Federal MPs and senators were notified about the impending protected industrial action on Sunday.
Standing alongside the AFP union in solidarity, independent senators Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock called on Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus to step in and help negotiate a fair deal.
Senator Lambie said she did not feel safe when police weren’t getting wage increases.
“These guys have put their lives on the line every time they put that uniform on … then give them the goddamn pay rise they deserve,” she said.
Senator Lambie said if “anything happens” while the AFP were on strike, the blame would sit with Labor for not sorting out the dispute.
Senator Pocock said politicians were “very happy to cop” the biggest increase to salaries in a long time, while not offering the same conditions to police on the frontline.
Senate President Sue Lines told the upper house on Monday security at parliament would be heightened and short-term measures had been introduced, after protesters scaled the building in July.
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