News

Code Red – Regional North

October 12, 2017

Attention: Permanent members Regional North

Area-wide ban imposed after Department ignores warning and breaches Award

Last Friday’s SITREP 34/17 included this item:

Statutory Declarations – NSW or Commonwealth update #1

Members in Regional North have recently had their claims for Carer’s Leave rejected because they did not use the statutory declaration form provided by the Department. The Union will sort that, but our advice provided to members in SITREP 28 stands. Members are not required to use the statutory declaration provided by the Department and the Union strongly recommends against using that version as it inserts additional, unnecessary wording that is designed to trap members. Members should instead use the standard NSW statutory declaration form that can be found on our website. The Union is putting the Department on notice that the next Area to reject an FBEU member’s statutory declaration because the member did not use the FRNSW version will be subject to immediate Area-wide bans. Members who find themselves in this situation should contact the Union office asap.

A member at 468 Tweed Heads reported this afternoon that the Statutory Declaration that he submitted on Monday had been rejected on the grounds of “Incorrect Stat Dec”. There was nothing incorrect about the member’s Statutory Declaration.

Accordingly, all Permanent members of Inspector rank and below within Regional North Area Command (including relievers) are hereby instructed that no member is to perform any paperwork or administrative duties (including E-Airs, PIP’s, CARS, e-Occurrence book, etc.) other than for firefighter pay or leave related matters.

This instruction is effective immediately upon receipt of this notice today Wednesday 11 October and shall remain in place until amended or withdrawn by way of further notice from the State Secretary.

Leighton Drury
State Secretary

For a print version of this Code Red, click here.

[Note: This instruction was subsequently lifted on and from 1800 hours on Friday 13 October  – see SITREP 35/17]