All members (recruits to Executive Officers) in the GSA, excluding exemptions (see below) are instructed to stop work today at 1300 hours and proceed to City of Sydney Fire Station. The Police have agreed to close Castlereagh St (between Bathurst and Liverpool Sts) and appliances should park there for the Stop Work.
Members in the Illawarra and Newcastle will be holding local Stop Work meetings. All other permanent members should walk off the Station and meet elsewhere (eg a local park) to hold their own meeting, remaining off the station for the duration of the stop work action. The Stop Work action shall commence at 1300 hours around the state (not before) and members are to commence to proceed to their Stop Work meeting on the stroke of 1300. Members attending a call at the time are to Stop Work immediately following the stop from that call.
MEMBERS ARE TO TAKE THEIR APPLIANCES:
1. Because it is the most responsible course of action to take, allowing to members to respond if necessary immediately following the meeting; and
2. For the very reason that the Department does not want the appliances taken, being the visual impact of 70 appliances in Castlereagh Street.
Exemptions for Stop Work 6/12/99
The following members (only) are to remain on-line for defensive firefighting:
8 – Pump/Rescue;
13 – FULL CREWING;
15 – Pump/Rescue;
20 – Pump AND Salvage Rescue;
27 – Aerial; 36 – FULL CREWING;
46 – Pump;
59 – Pump/Rescue;
63 – Pump/Rescue;
68 – Pump/Rescue;
71 – Pump/Rescue;
75-Pump/Rescue;
84-Pump/Rescue;
86 – Pump; and
Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong & Katoomba Communications Centres.
NOTE:ALL retained crews around the state are to continue to respond as normal.
Our Union has conducted itself with dignity and determination throughout this dispute. In return we have been met with hypocrisy and blatant lies from our employers – MacDougall’s about face last Thursday in order to avoid that day’s Stop Work being the final straw.
We will not let go of our demands for fair and just treatment from this Government because we refuse to abandon potentially hundreds of our members, past and present. The Carr Government is now pulling out all the stops to crush you and put you, the professional firefighters of this state, back in your place. No matter how much they throw at us, our Union will not fold:
1. because firefighters will not be stood over; and
2. because we are right.
