The most powerful union in the state doesn’t fly flags from cranes, donate to political parties or make statements on climate change. The most powerful union in the state doesn’t threaten to go on strike or need to visit work sites for membership drives.

And it doesn’t struggle for funds – an estimated $650,000 pours into its coffers every fortnight.

Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt announcing last month the latest industrial campaign.Credit: Luis Ascui

While only 12.5 per cent of employees are union members this one has 98 per cent of its workforce signed up. The members of the most powerful union in the state don’t wear high-vis vests but ballistic ones. That union is the Police Association.

Any politician with the capacity to count and the instinct to survive knows you don’t pick a fight with the PA; doing so would be about as popular as graffiting a statue of Florence Nightingale.

The union has 17,500 members, a new office in Jolimont and has just sold its National Trust building in East Melbourne for a massive profit. It has assets over $100 million and even owns a smattering of holiday houses.

Established in 1917 as a social club, it is now an efficient lobby and workplace machine. While secretary Wayne Gatt is a sergeant, he is probably second only to the police chief commissioner when it comes to power and influence.

Gatt is the public face of an association that has started an industrial campaign, which – while not headline grabbing – could be the start of something ugly.

He joined the police force in 1995 before stints in general duties, the mounted branch and the dog squad. He is a trained police negotiator, studied at Harvard University and is no pushover.

It was 100 years ago last month that police in Victoria went on their only strike, which, oddly enough, was not supported by the Police Association. What began as a wildcard refusal to work by a handful of cops escalated to a point where more than 600 police went on strike, and were sacked.

Disturbingly, it showed how quickly anarchy could descend on Melbourne when a large part of the city went unpoliced. According to A People’s Force, by Bob Haldane, “The........

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