By William Ton and Tess Ikonomou in Melbourne

Federal police could walk off the job within days in a move that threatens to “shut down” the nation’s parliament.

Officers would leave their posts at Parliament House and key locations including Canberra Airport for the first time, to go on strike over what the union describes as a “toxic” pay deal.

Politicians and political events will not be guarded by the AFP unless there is a “significant” threat, with officers to be temporarily pulled from investigating crimes related to the National Disability Insurance Scheme and tax office.

Australian Federal Police Association president Alex Caruana said while there were contingency plans in place, parliament would need to “shut down” if the threat level was unsafe without federal police.

“Ultimately we’re trying to disrupt parliament, that’s our goal,” he said.

The breakdown in negotiations comes after Commonwealth public servants, including federal police, were offered an 11.2 per cent increase over three years with added work-from-home provisions.

“We are going to make it hard for them and this is a clear way to send the message to the politicians, particularly the current government, that they need to do better for our members,” Mr Caruana said.

He said between three to five days’ notice had to be given before industrial action was taken, which would result in police leaving for the entirety of their shifts.

The union argues police officers should not be placed in the same category as desk-job public servants.

Mr Caruana said AFP police, who were the lowest-paid officers in the country, would leave the force in droves due to uncompetitive wages and conditions.

Under pressure and under-resourced, six per cent of members surveyed indicated they would leave the AFP immediately if the proposed pay deal was enforced, while more than two-thirds said they would actively look for jobs elsewhere.

Federal MPs and senators were notified about the impending protected industrial action on Sunday.

Standing alongside the AFP union in solidarity, independent senators Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock called on Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus to step in and help negotiate a fair deal.

Senator Lambie said she did not feel safe when police weren’t getting wage increases.

“These guys have put their lives on the line every time they put that uniform on … then give them the goddamn pay rise they deserve,” she said.

Senator Lambie said if “anything happens” while the AFP were on strike, the blame would sit squarely with Labor for not sorting out the dispute.

Senator Pocock said politicians were “very happy to cop” the biggest increase to salaries in a long time, while not offering the same conditions to police on the frontline.

“We’ve heard Labor talk a lot about same job, same pay, and yet they’re happy for the AFP to be the lowest-paid police force in the country,” he said.

Mr Caruana said the skills of AFP officers were in high demand across the private sector and public service.

“AFP officers deal with the worst of humanity and have to enter the dark worlds of pedophile rings, international drug trafficking, illegal arms dealers and murderous terrorists every day,” he said.

Senate President Sue Lines told the upper house on Monday that security at parliament would be heightened and short-term measures had been introduced, after protesters were able to scale the building last month.