New Awards are now in force for both Permanent and Retained firefighters throughout NSW. Both new Awards have delivered increases of 4.6%, 4% and 4%, will run for three years, and have been awarded by the New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) through a ‘Work Value’ case.
tags | award
September 25, 2008
September 25, 2008
Recent comments in the national print media sledging firefighters for working more than the 40 hours required under the Award have been an unfortunate conclusion to a very bitter and acrimonious wage campaign. The comments – driven home on a methodical and strategic basis through a series of talk back radio programs have caused enormous distress to firefighters across New South Wales. This is wrong and it should stop now.
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September 19, 2008
New three year Awards for permanent and retained firefighters were made by the Industrial Relations Commission this afternoon.
While a separate notice discussing the result and ramifications of the new awards will be issued shortly, the absence of backpay to the start of the new Awards on 18 June is an issue that will not wait. Read more…
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September 18, 2008
The Government’s decision to disband the Ambulance Rescue Service and hand these rescue units over to the NSWFB has now been standing for over two weeks. In that time a number of very serious allegations have been publicly leveled against firefighters. These have included claims that FBEU members have refused to respond to calls, mismanaged rescues and simply don’t have the skills required to carryout the job. This is clearly a smear campaign with no basis in fact and ultimately not in the interests of ambulance officers, firefighters or the general public.
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September 18, 2008
The Government’s decision to disband the Ambulance Rescue Service and hand these rescue units over to the NSWFB has now been standing for over two weeks. In that time a number of very serious allegations have been publicly leveled against firefighters. These have included claims that FBEU members have refused to respond to calls, mismanaged rescues and simply don’t have the skills required to carryout the job. This is clearly a smear campaign with no basis in fact and ultimately not in the interests of ambulance officers, firefighters or the general public.
The FBEU supports the Government in having firefighters carrying out rescues across NSW and has done so for over thirty years. However the Union has very deliberately avoided making public comment on this decision out of concern that should the decision be viewed as a dispute between two Trade Unions the Government may move to reverse its decision.
On this basis the Union has now met with the Department raised a series of concerns with some of the proposals put forward and reached agreement on a series of interim measures.
Accordingly the following instruction stands until members are notified of other arrangements by the FBEU:
No member is to support, assist or deliver training designed to see the introduction of a dedicated recruit class of Ambulance Service of NSW personnel;
No member other than those currently rescue accredited and attached to either a dedicated rescue station or qualified to deliver rescue training is to be used to make up the minimum crewing levels required on a rescue unit;
No retained member is to be used to make up the minimum crewing levels required on a permanently staff rescue unit.
Members are to claim all existing allowances and entitlements in relation to movement to make up minimum crewing levels required for rescue units.
The FBEU and the Department are now working to ensure that the transition of rescue responsibility from the Ambulance Service of NSW to the NSWFB is achieved with the minimum disruption to members and the community at large. On this basis a working group has been established to oversee the transition and ultimately report on the best outcome for all concerned.
Simon Flynn
State Secretary
The Government’s decision to disband the Ambulance Rescue Service and hand these rescue units over to the NSWFB has now been standing for over two weeks. In that time a number of very serious allegations have been publicly leveled against firefighters. These have included claims that FBEU members have refused to respond to calls, mismanaged rescues and simply don’t have the skills required to carryout the job. This is clearly a smear campaign with no basis in fact and ultimately not in the interests of ambulance officers, firefighters or the general public.
tags | ambulance, rescue
September 5, 2008
The Union has consciously and deliberately stayed silent on progress in regard to our current wage dispute for very good reason – and here’s why. The Union’s officials have spent the last two weeks arguing the merits of our existing conditions, fending off the Department’s attempts to gut our Award and drive down our wages. In this time the Premier and Treasurers plan to defy the direction of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) conference and stand over MPs who opposed them has collapsed. Read more…
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