The following tables compare the previous rates of pay and allowances with the IRC’s order for a 2.5% increase for permanent members which came into effect today under a new 6 month Interim Award. In accordance with the Union’s registered rules, Union dues also increased by 2.5% today, rising by 26 cents for permanent members from $10.54 to $10.80, and by 5 cents for retained members from $2.11 to $2.16 per week.

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This mornings Special General Meeting of the Union has overwhelmingly approved the two recommendations of the Unions State Committee of Management.

1. NSWFB Offer in settlement of 2008 Wage Campaign.

“That the correspondence dated January 14^th 2008 from the Department offering a 4% increase every year for three years tied to taking stations off line, changes to staffing of water tankers, changing entitlements for retained members standing by at retained stations, reducing the duration of training programs, reducing relieving allowances, consolidated leave entitlements and annual leave entitlements be rejected.”

1025 For    2 Against    25 Abstain

Carried

2. Adoption of the Union’s log of claims for Permanent’s 2008 Special Wage Case

“That in light of the report delivered by the State Secretary concerning negotiations with the Department, the Premier’s Office, the State Treasury and the NSW Industrial Relations Commission including a campaign of industrial action mounted by the Union that has led to over two weeks of bans, a stop work meeting and a statewide strike by on-duty members, and considering the NSW Industrial Relations Commission’s decision to arbitrarily hand down a six month interim Award with a 2.5% increase in wages and a direction that the Union submit its claim to the Commission for arbitration, this meeting resolves to endorse the claim tabled at this meeting that will deliver increases for all operational members between February 2008 and February 2010 ranging from $218.19 to $354.96 per week.

Further that a meeting of all Retained Sub-Branch members be called prior to 1 April 2008 in order to endorse the Union’s claim for a new retained award, and that another Special General Meeting of all members of the Union be called in the second quarter of 2008 to allow members to hear a report on the progress of both new awards and determine the future of the Union’s 2008 wage campaign. ”

1039 For    4 Against    9 Abstain

Carried

While over 500 members turned out for the meeting a further 500 on duty members were able to express their opinion by faxing back to the Union office pro forma sheets. The response was so overwhelming that the Unions fax system crashed and the pro forma sheets were still rolling this afternoon. Our Union is now united and focused on achieving a substantial increase in wages based on the national benchmark for Australian firefighters wages set by the Australian Industrial Relation Commission in 2006.

Simon Flynn

State Secretary

At 10:30 am on Monday morning the NSW Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) terminated conciliation between the FBEU and the Government and issued Orders that an interim Award be established for permanent firefighters with a 2.5% increase in wages and a six month term. Further to this the IRC has referred our wage claim to arbitration by a full bench of Judges and Commissioners of the IRC with our next full Award set to expire on February 23^rd 2011. Read more…

The NSW Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) this morning ordered a 2.5% increase in wages and allowances for all members covered by the Permanent Award.

This increase, which will take effect on and from the commencement of the next pay period, will be delivered through an interim 6 month award that will commence on 24 February and expire on 23 August 2008. Read more…

The State Committee has today resolved to call a statewide strike of permanent members across NSW commencing at 1700 hrs today in response to the Government’s refusal to move beyond its current 2.5% per annum wage offer.

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General provisions

1)         Relievers (or out-duties) are to return to their base stations immediately upon receipt of a Union notice directing the commencement of relieving bans. Provided that if members of the off going shift have already been dismissed and left the station then a reliever may remain until relieved by a member on recall. In any event, all relievers are to leave for their base stations by no later than 1000 hrs or 2200 hrs.

2)         Where any appliance falls below its safe minimum staffing level as a result of these bans, a member (or members, if necessary) from the off-going shift should be held back to cover that shortage until a member (or members) arrives on recall.

3)         In the event that the Department fails or refuses to hold members from the off-going shift on overtime and/or to recall off-duty members in order to maintain safe minimum staffing levels, then the appliance in question is to be taken offline until such time as minimum staffing levels are restored. A Union official is to be notified immediately.

4)         Members are not to change platoons to fill known or unknown absences, and members who act as ‘Z & J relievers’ are to remain at their base station on the platoon they are currently working until the bans are lifted or notified otherwise by way of a further Union notice.

Country relieving

5)        GSA-based members who are already performing or who are already in transit to perform country relief at the time of the notification of relieving bans are to remain or proceed to that station until the bans are lifted or they are notified otherwise by way of a further Union notice.

6)        GSA-based members who are not yet in transit to perform country relief at the time of the notification of relieving bans are to remain at their station until the bans are lifted or they are notified otherwise by way of a further Union notice.

Operational Support and secondments

7)        Operational Support members, including members seconded to those positions on a temporary basis, are to remain in place unless they are notified otherwise by way of a further Union notice.

This clarification, like all Union instructions, remains in force until notified otherwise by way of a further Union notice.

The Union is escalating industrial action in support of the 2008 wage campaign.

All members are hereby instructed that effective on and from 0800 hours today, Thursday 14 February 2008, no member is to perform any relieving, stand-bys or out-duties. Members are to return to and remain at their base station, save for GSA-based members who are currently relieving out of the GSA, who may remain at their present location. Members are not to change platoons to fill known or unknown absences, and members who act as ‘Z men’ are to remain at their base station on the platoon they are currently working throughout. Read more…

With the Union’s bans on paperwork and administrative functions now in place and effective since Friday night the dispute has been listed in court twice in two days. The first, Monday – morning under the Department’s threat of no negotiations until the Union lifted its bans. In those hearing the Judge recommended that the bans be lifted and that both the Union and the Department continue to negotiate.

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Thursday’s appearance at the IRC appeared to be going well, until the Department decided to lob another claim onto the table at the last minute – removing the top up provisions for workers compensation in the permanent award. The top up provision’s are one of the Union’s greatest achievements in its entire 98 year history. The Union won and has held workers compensation top up since the 1960’s, the top up predates the 10/14, safe minimum crewing and the removal of brass helmets.

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