Unionised Federal Police officers threaten to strike

Unionised Australian Federal Police officers are threatening to abandon their security posts at parliament house, in a push for a 20% pay bump.

Transcript

00:00So, a really concerning development here regarding the security and safety of parliamentarians

00:07and everyone who works here in Parliament House.

00:10The AFPA, so that's the union that represents the Australian Federal Police, is locked in

00:16a pay dispute with the AFP and the federal government.

00:20The union says that the AFP are the lowest paid police force in Australia.

00:25They're pushing for a 20% pay increase over a period of three years.

00:31Obviously the AFP plays a key role here at Parliament House, patrolling the perimeter

00:37of the building.

00:38When we saw protesters come onto the roof of Parliament House in recent weeks, the AFP

00:44played a key role in bringing that situation back under control.

00:49But the AFP officers, the unionised officers, are willing to abandon their posts here at

00:57Parliament House.

00:58Alex Caruana, the AFPA president, spoke to News Breakfast a little earlier about why

01:06they've chosen this time to propose this industrial action.

01:11We intend to take action during the sitting week.

01:14Obviously we've got to iron out the finer details with the AFP in terms of the notice

01:17period.

01:18But we will be withdrawing our labour from some key Commonwealth assets, for instance

01:22Parliament House and the airports.

01:25But I want to stress that this is something that we aren't taking lightly and it is something

01:28that we see as a last resort.

01:30We think that the government can intervene here and they can step up and they can say

01:34to us and to the AFP membership that we're going to get a better pay offer.

01:40The AFP has responded to the AFPA, that's the unions, saying that they will be taking

01:49this action or proposing to take this action outside Parliament House.

01:53They say they haven't received formal notification of this action but they want to be very clear

01:58the AFP will vigorously object to any action that jeopardises the safety and protection

02:03of high office holders, parliamentarians or designated airports.

02:09In terms of when this proposed action is proposed to take place, well it could be happening

02:14late this week or early next week but obviously many more negotiations to take place between

02:24these parties that are disputing over this pay increase so watch this space.