January 31, 2008


The ever-increasing workload of Logistic Support Vehicles since the abandonment of the old ‘District Truck’ system with subsequent reductions in numbers has reached a crisis level and it is Union Policy that their numbers be increased.
Members are instructed that minimum staffing requirements include Logistic Support Vehicles and that they are not to be grounded to fill other staff shortages for all or part of any shift under any circumstances.
Simon Flynn
State Secretary

The ever-increasing workload of Logistic Support Vehicles since the abandonment of the old ‘District Truck’ system with subsequent reductions in numbers has reached a crisis level and it is Union Policy that their numbers be increased.

Read more…


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January 31, 2008


All members who attended last weeks stop work meeting will have their pay docked by the Department. All members instructed to attend in the Notice dated Friday 25.01.08 should adjust their time sheets by 2 hrs 30 minutes to allow for that deduction.
All exempted members should extend a gesture of solidarity by donating (a tax deductible) amount equivalent to 2 hours 30 minutes pay to the Burns Unit of Westmead Children’s Hospital.
Similarly, the Department is challenged to donate net savings from its wages bill resulting from the stop work meeting.
Simon Flynn
State Secretar

All members who attended last weeks stop work meeting will have their pay docked by the Department. All members instructed to attend in the Notice dated Friday 25.01.08 should adjust their time sheets by 2 hrs 30 minutes to allow for that deduction.

Read more…


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January 27, 2008

As members would be aware our current permanent firefighters Award will expire on February 23rd 2008 (the retained Award expires 31st March 2008). Under NSW law all of our wages and conditions will remain in place until a new Award (including new rates of pay) replaces it. The Union has been negotiating with the Department and Government since September last year for an Award that improves our conditions and increases our wages. This process has involved close to twenty separate meetings most lasting about three hours.

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January 25, 2008

The State Committee of Management has today resolved to call an urgent stop work of permanent members effective at 1100 hours today to hear a report on the current wage negotiations. All permanent members in the GSA other than those expressly exempted below are therefore to stop work in time to attend today’s stop work meeting which is being held at Hickson Road (the Hungry Mile), Sydney (UBD Map 1, G7). Read more…


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January 22, 2008

When it comes to submitting medical certificates, and to your medical records generally, members are advised as follows: Read more…


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January 22, 2008

A Station Officer recently contacted the Union after he was directed to seek approval from his Inspector before he paid meal allowance claims. Whilst this is not a common occurrence, it is worth reminding members, and more to the point the Department, that under the Award the officer-in-charge is authorised to make these payments. Read more…


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January 22, 2008


The Union has an agreement with the Department that Layflat firefighting hose suspected of being contaminated with asbestos fibres is to be destroyed as there is no certainty that traditional hose cleaning methods can remove the risks to firefighters health.
Accordingly the following Instruction is issued to all members:
‘In the interests of firefighter safety all layflat firefighting hose suspected of being contaminated with asbestos fibres is to be treated as Hazardous Waste Material and is to be bagged tagged and left in the asbestos hot zone at the incident scene.’
Members are reminded of their obligation to their own and fellow firefighters safety to dampen down, bag, tag and send for cleaning any PPE suspected of asbestos contamination.
Appliances are to remain off line until all members of the crew have replaced all such PPE with a clean ensemble.
Notice of Injury, Illness Exposure & Near Miss Forms are to be completed and lodged for all crew members exposed.
This Instruction will remain in place until superseded by a subsequent Union Notice.
Simon Flynn
State Secretary

The Union has an agreement with the Department that Layflat firefighting hose suspected of being contaminated with asbestos fibres is to be destroyed as there is no certainty that traditional hose cleaning methods can remove the risks to firefighters health.

Read more…


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January 6, 2008

With the US economy on the way to a recession and interest rates in Australia on the way up again, the Union has written to the Minister for Emergency Services asking that the NSW government not cut our wages. On December 6th the Union wrote explaining that the Reserve Bank has forecast inflation reaching three and a half percent in the near future and asking that the starting point for wage negotiations be just that – three and a half percent for all NSW public servants.

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