Inside this issue:
- Bushfire Royal Commission Report
- Transfer lists
- Out of orders
August 6, 2010
July 30, 2010
Inside this issue:
- Meal and travel allowances increased from 1 July 2010
- Community safety activities
April 5, 2010
Due to the Easter Long weekend break and the office being closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday SITREP No. 13 was not issued.
SITREP will recommence this Friday.
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December 5, 2008
Most members would by now be aware that a concerted campaign to over turn a State Rescue Board (SRB) decision to decommission eight ambulance rescue units in the Greater Sydney Area has failed. Nine fire brigades will instead carry out the work of the Sydney based ambulance units meaning a safer, more effective and more consistent approach to rescue.
The SRB yesterday recommended that the decision to accredit fire brigades rather than ambulance units should be upheld and this morning Minister for Emergency Services Tony Kelly announced he was adopting the recommendation. Credit should now go where it is due and Commissioner Greg Mullins should be congratulated for standing up for the interests of the NSW Fire Brigades. Credit also to both Minister Tony Kelly and the Secretary of Unions NSW Mark Lennon for standing up to internal factional pressure from within the Australian Labor Party to over turn the decision.
Most importantly of all however is credit to all members of the FBEU for the patience, professionalism and dedication with which we have all carried ourselves. The Government is fully aware of both the sting the FBEU can deliver and the discipline its members can manage in the face of provocation. With the issue of rescue now tucked away we must all try to put this behind us and move forward in working cooperatively and in the interests of the general public.
Our Union has fought for thirty years to deliver the best and most appropriate rescue service possible and today that position has been vindicated. Thank you all for your patience and your support for the Union in a difficult period.
Simon Flynn
State Secretary
Most members would by now be aware that a concerted campaign to over turn a State Rescue Board (SRB) decision to decommission eight ambulance rescue units in the Greater Sydney Area has failed. Nine fire brigades will instead carry out the work of the Sydney based ambulance units meaning a safer, more effective and more consistent approach to rescue. Read more…
tags | rescue
November 18, 2008
Members sitting the SOPP Pre-Entry Test on Wednesday 19 November 2008 are entitled to the relevant provisions of Clause 16 of the Crown Employees (NSW Fire Brigades Firefighting Staff) Award 2008.
Members rostered for duty on the night shift prior to the day of the exams (ie “A” Platoon’s last night) will be granted paid leave from 2200 hours to 0800 hours.
Members who are rostered off duty shall be paid at overtime rates (see clause 16.10.1.2).
Members who are on annual or long service leave will be re-credited with the appropriate leave for the time spent attending the exams (see clause 16.10.1.1).
Time spent attending the examination is time worked. The provisions of clause 9.9 (requiring an eight hour break) apply in conjunction with clause 16.11, therefore those members who are rostered for night shift on the day of the exam should stand-off until they have had an 8 hour break from the conclusion of the final exam they attend. For example, if you finish an exam at 1600 hours and are rostered to start at 1800 hours that day, you should stand-off until midnight without loss of pay. If, however, you completed the examination at (say) 1700 hours then you would stand-off until 0100 hours the next day.
If your travelling time to and from the exam venue exceeds two hours each way, or if the return distance from your residence to the venue exceeds 175kms, you are entitled to either be provided accommodation by the Department, or to the accommodation allowance prescribed by clause 26.4.1.
Meal allowances, excess fares and travelling time may also be payable in line with Clause 26 – Travelling Compensation.
Simon Flynn
State Secretary
Members sitting the SOPP Pre-Entry Test on Wednesday 19 November 2008 are entitled to the relevant provisions of Clause 16 of the Crown Employees (NSW Fire Brigades Firefighting Staff) Award 2008.
tags | SOPP
April 22, 2008
It is now crystal clear that the Union notice of 22 January 2008 titled “About medical certificates and medical records” ruffled the Department’s feathers. That’s because the Department took the Union to the Industrial Relations Commission on 18 April 2008 about it. In turn, the Industrial Relations Commission has recommended that the Union publish a new notice that states ‘that medical certificates supplied to the Department must state the nature of the illness or incapacity as well as the period for which the employee is unfit for duty.’ So this notice does just that.
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April 1, 2008
The Retained Sub-Branch meeting held over last weekend to consider the Union’s draft Award application and authorise the State Secretary to seek an interim award concluded at 9am yesterday morning with near-unanimous support for the recommended motion (450 members in favour and only 3 against). Unfortunately, a further 22 votes supporting the motion could not be counted due to a lack of quorum of at least 7 members at each meeting.
tags | retained
December 21, 2007
The Union Office will close for its annual Christmas/New Year break at 1200 hours today, Friday 21 December and resume operations on Wednesday 2 January 2007. Members requiring assistance over this time should contact an on-shift State Committee official (see below).
I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Union’s officials, industrial and administrative staff, to wish all members and your families the compliments of the Season.
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November 23, 2007
The Union and the Department have met regarding the myriad of risk assessments that have flooded stations in recent years. The Union demanded from the Department a decision – it could have one risk assessment procedure and one only. The result – Dynamic Risk Assessments.
The Dynamic Risk Assessment booklet, and the worksheets contained therein, is the only risk assessment procedure to be used. The worksheets are guides for Safety Officers and can be used at their discretion. They are not for record keeping purposes and if the Safety Officer chooses to use one on the fireground they are to be destroyed or retained by the Safety Officer for their personal record only. They are not to be maintained in Department records. All other risk assessments in operation, or subsequently introduced, are not to be used and should be disposed of immediately.
Simon Flynn
State Secretary
The Union and the Department have met regarding the myriad of risk assessments that have flooded stations in recent years. The Union demanded from the Department a decision – it could have one risk assessment procedure and one only. The result – Dynamic Risk Assessments.
The Dynamic Risk Assessment booklet, and the worksheets contained therein, is the only risk assessment procedure to be used. The worksheets are guides for Safety Officers and can be used at their discretion. They are not for record keeping purposes and if the Safety Officer chooses to use one on the fireground they are to be destroyed or retained by the Safety Officer for their personal record only. They are not to be maintained in Department records. All other risk assessments in operation, or subsequently introduced, are not to be used and should be disposed of immediately.
Simon Flynn
State Secretary
November 22, 2007
Thanks to all the members who attended the North Sydney rally against Workchoices on November 22. Thanks to the officials, Union staff and delegates that contributed to its success. Our thanks is on behalf of all working families already affected by the legislation and on behalf of all that will be affected by the next level if the present government is returned.
Second only to the D&D March of 1999, a colorful and impressive march of 350 firefighters in full firefighting uniform was led from North Sydney Oval to Joe Hockey’s office in the centre of the North Sydney CBD.
Speeches were well received at both ends of the march by those that attended and many onlookers. FBEU President Chris Windsor, Police Association Secretary Peter Remfrey and Green’s Senator Kerrie Nettle started proceedings while FBEU Secretary Simon Flynn, Unions NSW Assistant Secretary Mark Lennon and ACTU President Sharon Burrow spoke outside Joe Hockey’s Office.
The FBEU pulled above its weight and gave a clear indication of its ability to campaign. Members are urged to vote against Workchoices at tomorrow’s election.
Simon Flynn
State Secretary
Thanks to all the members who attended the North Sydney rally against Workchoices on November 22. Thanks to the officials, Union staff and delegates that contributed to its success. Our thanks is on behalf of all working families already affected by the legislation and on behalf of all that will be affected by the next level if the present government is returned.
Second only to the D&D March of 1999, a colorful and impressive march of 350 firefighters in full firefighting uniform was led from North Sydney Oval to Joe Hockey’s office in the centre of the North Sydney CBD.
Speeches were well received at both ends of the march by those that attended and many onlookers. FBEU President Chris Windsor, Police Association Secretary Peter Remfrey and Green’s Senator Kerrie Nettle started proceedings while FBEU Secretary Simon Flynn, Unions NSW Assistant Secretary Mark Lennon and ACTU President Sharon Burrow spoke outside Joe Hockey’s Office.
The FBEU pulled above its weight and gave a clear indication of its ability to campaign. Members are urged to vote against Workchoices at tomorrow’s election.
Simon Flynn
State Secretary