No member is to take an urban appliance be it a pumper, ladders or a platform off road in order to deal with fires that require a four wheel drive appliance. Read more…

After numerous meetings, the exchange of correspondence and the listing of a dispute by the Union to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, the Department has finally succumbed to its obligation to pay retained firefighters in accordance with the Retained Award. Read more…

As a result of an agreement between the Department and the Union hammered out at this weeks Training Review Committee meeting, Qualified Firefighters are again able to access the OTEN training modules required to progress to Senior Firefighter. Read more…

Following a series of very intense discussions between the Department and the Union over the rights of members to place FBEU logos on the backs of helmets, agreement has now been reached that the stickers can stay. The original directive that all Union stickers were to be immediately peeled from the backs of helmets has been superseded and the right of all FBEU members to proudly display the Union badge has now been acknowledged.

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The Brigades’ Professional Standards and Conduct Officer (PSCO) has today written to all members regarding the Union’s new membership helmet stickers.

The PSCO’s notice refers to a misunderstanding over the statement within the Union’s notice that accompanied the stickers which read “For the sake of uniformity, and following discussions with the NSWFB management, it has been agreed that Union membership stickers should be placed on the centre of the rear helmet rim ….”. Read more…

In September last year, members across the State voted to support a 12 month trial of changes to the way we work that would reduce excessive overtime. Throughout October & November the Union and the Department held numerous meetings and wrote letters backwards and forwards over the issue. In all this time, the Department has run hot and cold, like a tap. Read more…

Most members would by now be aware that the Department has once again set its sights on a NSWFB boat for Sydney Harbour. The boat, creatively named ‘Marine 1’ has been commissioned, drafted, built and is now being surveyed for its suitability as a harbour emergency response vessel. The boat – the first of at least three for the harbour – is now about right to hoist the NSWFB flag and set sail on Sydney Harbour just in time for Australia day. Read more…

Most people in Australia seem to know that Christmas day is always celebrated on the 25th of December – except perhaps some members of the very senior levels of management in the NSWFB. Read more…

Members from Ashfield station delivered over $1000 worth of groceries to the Exodus Foundation in the week before Christmas after the Union asked members to pitch in for the poor. Read more…

Those members who are covered by the Death and Disability Award should have received their annual statements from the Death and Disability Fund recently. We’ve had some inquiries from some members whose statements indicate they don’t have any entitlements under the D&D Fund. Read more…