Police officers are firing back at an "insulting", "disgusting" and "demoralising" pay offer amid a cost of living crisis and demanding conditions.
After rejecting the government's offer initially in September 2023, police were presented with the same offer on Friday.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell says the government is negotiating in "tough economic times".
New Zealand Police Association Te Aka Hāpai president Chris Cahill told media in Wellington that officers had lambasted the offer as "a kick in the guts", "demoralising", "farcical", "disrespectful" and "an absolute joke", after months of waiting and eight months after the expiration of their current collective agreement.
The police force normally lost about 5 percent of its workforce each year to resignations, Cahill said, and he expected to see a spike in people leaving the job in the coming months, either to move overseas or to another profession.
It would also be harder to replace those officers if the conditions and pay were unappealing.
The association said many members were facing extreme financial pressures, resulting in an inability to pay rent or mortgages and resorting to food parcels - and many were feeling the lure of Australia.
The government's stance of being "tough on crime" meant more demanding work for officers, Cahill said.
"Yet they insult these very officers by intentionally failing to backdate the pay offer that has been delayed by politics and government processes, not officers."
Association president Chris Cahill said officers had lambasted the offer as "a kick in the guts", Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Police officers are prevented from taking industrial action by law. Cahill said: "You can't go slow, you can't not issue tickets, you can't not do overtime."
This restriction on industrial action came with a moral responsibility from the government to show good faith, he said, adding: "It hasn't happened."
Despite the rules, officers "want to start getting in the streets", he said. "I've never seen police officers as angry as they are now."
What's in the offer?
- A wage increase of $5000 from 1 November 2023, with allowances moving by 5.25 percent (not backdated to 1 July)
- A further wage increase of 4 percent from 1 September 2024, with allowances increasing by 4 percent (delayed, and not effective from 1 July 2024)
- Final wage increase of 4 percent from 1 July 2025, with allowances increasing by 4 percent
- Police propose a pilot to test the mechanisms required to move to pay overtime by 30 June 2026 or earlier
- Replace all meal and incidental allowances with reimbursement of expenses
- The current 45 days leave accumulation reduced to 35 days
Cahill said the last pay rise was two years ago at 3.5 percent, when inflation that year was at 7.2 percent.
What does the association say is wrong with it?
- No backdating, despite all the delay being on the part of the government
- No benefit for health checks
- Expenses reimbursed expenses instead of paying officers an allowance
- Three-year term instead of two means more "crystal ball gazing" in an uncertain environment
Cahill said they suspected the offer had come from Treasury and public service officials who had no understanding of the pressures on police officers.
The association said many members were facing extreme financial pressures, resulting in an inability to pay rent or mortgages, and many were feeling the lure of Australia.
Cahill acknowledged there were tough economic times, but said police officers should not be expected to fund the police budget.
"Yesterday they decided to give landlords $3 billion worth of tax relief over the next three years - that's fine, that's their choice."
It was time the government stepped up and looked after police officers too, Cahill said.
"A nurse or social worker after six years earns $22,000 more than a six-year police constable.
"No one thinks nurses are overpaid so why are our police constables underpaid? By the time constables reach the top of their pay band, they will have earned $240,000 less than a nurse."
A police officer fresh out of training gets paid $56,219.00, after their first year, $75,063, by the fifth $82,773.
Cahill said for the government to have any chance of meeting its promise of recruiting another 500 officers in two years, it needed to ensure officers were not leaving for better pay and conditions.
"Aussie recruitment lines will have been red hot since our members heard of this offer last Friday," he said.
Impact on police force
The association has received numerous emails.
"I personally know of two officers who have had to ask for food parcels, in the last few months, just so they can feed their families," one said.
"How can the government pride themselves on law and order, introduce 'tough' new legislation against gangs, and then insult us with a pittance of a wage rise?" another said.
"As I attend the sudden death of a 12-year-old girl and help a grieving family, then go to a gruesome violent stabbing that will stay with me forever, I will remember that I am valued by this disgusting offer."
"Teachers, nurses, fire all had massive presence in the media, where's ours?"
"My feedback is not printable."
The association said it was meeting with its members again on Thursday.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell has been approached for comment.