INDUSTRIAL ACTION TO RECOMMENCE
FROM 1800 HRS TODAY
Further Special General Meetings of members held in Newcastle, Wollongong and Sydney yesterday and today have voted to reimpose industrial bans in support of our ongoing campaign for equity in death and disability for all firefighters – permanent and retained – irrespective of when we joined the job.
The members’ decision to do so follows our rejection of the Government’s latest so-called “offer” (which may be found in full on the Union’s website), and the collapse of negotiations between our Union and the Government this week.
Accordingly, all members are hereby instructed to observe all industrial bans and limitations which are set out in full on the page over from 1800 hrs today, Friday August 27. This instruction shall remain in force until further Union notice.
It is now certain that this dispute will be both hard and protracted. For this reason we have not returned to the previous action whereby only SSF members could respond, but have instead adopted a raft of bans which will allow us to continue to place considerable pressure on the Government and the Department over an extended period of time.
Members should also be aware that, together with the bans set out below, your elected officials have also been authorised to call spontaneous stop-work action across the state on an ongoing – and indefinite – basis. Members should therefore remain prepared for such action because (by necessity) verbal instructions may come on short notice.
We will fight as hard and as long as it takes in order to achieve equity in D&D benefits, be it for 3 days, 3 weeks or even 3 years. The fact remains that our future, and indeed the future security of our families, is very much in our hands. Your elected officials can only do so much, the real power and responsibility to achieve a fair and just outcome rest with you, the rank and file membership. Stay United! Chris Read
State Secretary
