Police pay talks stall

Police officers are considering protest action after negotiations over a new pay agreement hit a brick wall. Police Association president Chris Cahill sent a letter to members yesterday updating them on pay negotiations, which have been running since May. He said police have cancelled the past two weeks of negotiations because they have had nothing to bring to the table. ‘‘It seems police’s hands are restricted by what the government is prepared to fund,’’ Cahill told members. ‘‘We would have expected greater respect and acknowledgement from the government for the role of police staff and the challenges faced over the past few years.’’ Cahill told RNZ the gap between the two sides was tens of millions of dollars. He said members were fed up, and were considering protest action. ‘‘Industrial action, such as strikes, we can’t do,’’ Cahill said. ‘‘That doesn’t mean that we can’t seek public support in similar veins to what other groups do. ‘‘ -