Police Association members are being urged to rally behind a nationwide “Repay the Risk” campaign ahead of constabulary collective employment negotiations from May.

The campaign aims to build pressure for a fair pay rise and better conditions for constabulary staff before bargaining begins. National secretary Erin Polaczuk says the message will focus on the risks officers face every day.

“Police officers are asked to step into dangerous and unpredictable situations every day,” Erin says. “When politicians talk about how amazing our members are, that recognition needs to be backed up with proper recompense.”

Building public and political support ahead of the negotiations is crucial, she says.

“Bargaining power doesn’t just sit at the negotiating table. It also sits outside the room, where members and supporters can show decision-makers how policing affects them and why fair pay and conditions matter.”

Tell it how it is

The association urges all constabulary members to play an active role in the campaign by sharing their frontline experiences and engaging with their local Members of Parliament.

Postcards and stamps have been distributed to all regional committee secretaries, allowing members to write directly to their local MP about the realities of policing and their expectations for this year’s pay round.

“We want members to tell their own stories,” Erin says. “Those real experiences carry far more weight than statistics. When MPs hear directly from the people doing the job, it makes it harder to ignore the risks and pressures officers face.”

The association will also be sending members “Repay the Risk” wrist bands and campaign stickers as well as contacting politicians across the political spectrum to build support for improved police pay and conditions.

Erin says pay remains a major concern for members who are balancing the demands and stress of policing with rising household costs.

“Pay and conditions are front of mind for a lot of people working in Police. Members told us in the last survey that they support a range of actions to raise awareness of these issues, and this campaign is about turning that support into collective action.”

We’re in this together

A national campaign committee that includes volunteers from all over the country will drive the strategy and its messaging.

Association president Steve Watt is also outlining the campaign’s aims during regional committee annual meetings, which run until April 30. He is covering off the broad themes the association hopes to achieve through bargaining and explaining how the wider campaign strategy will support negotiations.

Erin says collective action from members can help ensure police pay is prioritised by decision-makers. “I know applying pressure can sometimes feel uncomfortable,” she says. “But it’s often what makes leaders stop and pay attention. If we want a strong outcome, we need politicians to understand that police pay is something they must prioritise.”

The association has previously used visible campaign tools to build momentum in bargaining rounds. During last year’s Police employee collective negotiations, staff across the country wore blue lanyards branded with the slogan “Backbone; Not Backroom.”

Erin says this year’s campaign will take a similarly visible and co-ordinated approach. “We want to get members a good outcome and we’ll do that far more effectively when we stand together and show the value – and the risk – of the work police do every day.”