WA's police union has described the second pay and conditions offer put forward by the government as "woefully short" and "disrespectful" but has ruled out further industrial action for the time being.
Much like the state's nurses, police officers are locked in long-running negotiations over a new wages deal, with both demanding a five per cent pay rise.
The government's current wages policy is the greater of a three per cent or $60 a week increase.
Union president Mick Kelly said members had discussed the offer since it was made on Friday, and will put it to a vote, but indicated union delegates "weren't that impressed".
"The government have failed to listen to one of our main items, which is the five per cent per annum for both years," he said.
"The delegation say that we're actually worth more than five per cent.
"Five per cent is still a pay cut in the eyes of the delegates.
"They simply want the government to respect them for the hard work that we've done throughout the year."
After rejecting the government's first deal earlier this month, the union has now been offered increased shift allowances, including 16 per cent for nights and evenings and 19 per cent for weekends, and an additional day off for the Easter Sunday public holiday, as well as other changes.
"The government have moved, but we say that they…should find more money to pay our members that are doing those horrible shifts on the evenings and afternoons and early hours around our entertainment precincts when there are harder people to deal with," Mr Kelly said.
He said one of the union's key demands – a right for officers to disconnect when not at work – was "not in a position where we'd like to see it at the moment".
But after pausing industrial action last week, Mr Kelly said there were no plans for it to resume.
"We have some strategies up our sleeve, which we won't be discussing," he said.
Addressing union members at their annual conference today, Police Minister Paul Papalia said he hoped "negotiations get resolved rapidly and we get a good and fair increase in wages and allowances into your members' pockets as fast as possible".
Speaking to the media afterwards, he said the deal was "a good offer" and poured cold water on the prospect of a five per cent pay rise.
"We have a wages policy that's very publicly well known, and people should understand that that is the wages policy," Mr Papalia said.
"Outside of wages, there's opportunity for negotiation and there's been a lot of movement in that regard with this offer.
"It's very much focused on officers on the frontline, who are doing the hard yards, getting the most benefit."
Commissioner Col Blanch echoed Mr Papalia's comments, describing the offer as "fair".
Police being 'left behind'
Mr Kelly used his speech at the conference to argue that while much of the world had been changed by COVID, police had been "left behind" – particularly around mental health support.
"I regret to say that police officers do not receive the support that they need to carry out their duties to their fullest potential," he said.
The president recounted a June survey, which found 77 per cent of officers who had quit had done so because of poor work culture, and dissatisfaction with police management, while 14 per cent had resigned in connection to health and mental health.
"One of those who resigned said 'if I received help and support when I first started to suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, I think that I would have stayed and not have even needed to take sick leave'," he said.
"That was a testimony by a West Australian…who decided to put aside the pursuit of wealth and glory and became a police officer at a starting salary well below the Australian average.
"And the agency did not provide that person with the appropriate tools with which to process trauma.
"We can and in fact we must do better than that."
In his speech, Mr Papalia said it was to be "applauded" that more officers were seeking mental health support than ever before.
"The resources thrown into the health and mental health of our officers…exceed anything in history," he said.
Speaking after his address, Mr Kelly acknowledged WA Police was "working hard to improve the mental health services that are available".
But he said members wanted to see more chaplains made available in particular.
"The agency is making … good steps in that area, but we can do more and government, if it's further funding, then I ask that they do because you can never have enough help for the men and women out there," he said.
Government has done more than any other: Minister
Mr Papalia said the government had expanded the number of police chaplains from one to four over its time in power, doubled the number of psychologists, and introduced measures like a mandatory 72-hour rest period for officers involved in distressing incidents.
The minister said efforts were being focused on providing "more support to people in the early days of their exposure to trauma to ensure that they are more resilient and able to deal with what they confront".
"This government has done more for the welfare of police officers than any government in history and we will continue to do more every day," he said.
"All we can do is wrap every amount of support, every effort we can throw at it, to support those people and ensure they don't succumb later on in life."
