Friday, November 11, 2011

UnionsNSW: Govt slashes and trashes Police conditions

The State Government's changes to the Police Death and Disability Scheme both slashes conditions for injured officers and trashes their right to appeal to an independent umpire.

The Government yesterday moved an urgency motion to rush the laws through parliament in the current session, despite the Police Association's request for negotiation and consultation.
Unions NSW Secretary, Mark Lennon said the move was an attempt to silence debate and rush through laws that undermine the rights and conditions of injured front line officers.

"The workplace umpire, the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, will be completely sidelined, giving injured police officers no avenue to have their compensation determined by an independent umpire," Mr Lennon said.

"These laws rip away at the basic rights of front line officers who are injured in the line of duty.

"Once again, the State Government has confused its role of employer and regulator. As an employer it has to understand basic principles of justice, and acknowledge the right of employees to have their workplace conditions decided by an independent umpire."

"The NSW Industrial Relations Commission is not the personal plaything of the NSW Government."
Mr Lennon called on MPs to support the withdrawal of the legislation.

"Police officers do demanding work every day. As a community, the least we can do is allow their perspectives to be heard before the parliament undermines their death and disability scheme."

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