It has been brought to the Union’s attention that there may be some confusion regarding the Award requirements for Relieving Firefighters and those Firefighters performing outduties, specifically when asked to perform a relief/outduty outside of the GSA. Read more…
tags |They’re at again. Penny pinching by the Department’s bean counters has resulted in SO’s being directed to find out which phone numbers dialed at stations are work related and which ones aren’t. Read more…
tags |The results of the Unions Special General Meeting and votes held at Sub Branch meetings throughout the state are now through and all three proposals put forward by the State Committee have been overwhelmingly endorsed. Read more…
tags |The Maritime Union of Australia has written to the FBEU inviting the hundreds of firies who joined the picket lines at Port Botany to appear as extra’s in re-enactment scenes for a mini-series about the 1998 ‘Patricks/MUA’ dispute. Read more…
tags |Members will be aware that Merseyside Fire Brigades Union comrades have been on strike for the last week or so, after their bosses asserted what they claim is managerial prerogative to sack over 120 firefighters, de-staff 4 pumpers and introduce a 96 hour working week (last seen in the 1940’s) in some fire stations. Read more…
tags |This weeks water tanker dispute has been a bruising affair for the FBEU and for the Departments bottom line with close to $250 000 worth of overtime now lost forever in a pointless attempt to undermine the Unions proposal for the forth coming Special General Meeting. Read more…
tags |Following proceedings before the Industrial Relations Commission yesterday afternoon and again this morning this morning, the Union has agreed to lift the relieving bans that were imposed at 1800 hours last Friday, 1 September.
tags |After a three year delay, Minister for Water has finally pulled his finger out and given us a guarantee that recycled water at Bluescope Port Kembla is safe.
Members should be pleased to know that your Union is in possession of a written guarantee from the NSW Government that recycled water at Port Kembla’s Bluescope Steel plant is safe to use for firefighting.
This was not an easy outcome for the Union to achieve, but because of the resolute stand taken by Members in the Illawarra we have been able to extract a written undertaking from the Government that this water is safe to use.
Way back in October 2003 the Union first expressed concerns about recycled water, so we are still trying to fathom what took the Government so long to give a guarantee that the Bluescope recycled water is safe.
David Campbell has done himself a huge disservice by treating firefighter’s clear and legitimate concerns with such indifference. It’s surprising that the Minister didn’t simply pick up a pen to guarantee that this treated recycled water would not harm firefighters, the community or the environment – particularly with NSW facing serious water shortages.
As firefighters, we protect the environment, people and property every day and often risk their lives in the process. All along firefighters simply wanted a guarantee that using recycled water was not an increased risk to health.
Accordingly, the State Secretary has lifted the ban on the use of recycled at Bluescope effective 18:00 tonight. The Secretary of the Illawarra Sub Branch is consulting with sub branch members currently regarding the guarantee. The ban on other recycled projects remain in place until considered negotiations produce a similar outcome, namely, that the recycled is no less safe than the current supply.
The offer for David Campbell to drink a glass of this recycled water stands.
Simon Flynn
State Secretary
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