News

New Year’s Eve – Agreed Arrangements

December 17, 1999

Further to the Union notice dated 14/12 and negotiations held this week, it has been agreed between the Department and the Union that the following special arrangements will apply between 1800 hrs on New Year’s Eve to 0900 hrs on New Year’s Day.

1. Retained members attending calls between 1800 hrs and 0900 hours

1.1 Subject to point 2, all calls attended by retained members between 1800 hrs on 31 December and 0900 hrs on 1 January will be paid at a special New Year’s Eve rate of 400% on the current Award rates:

RF / EK / Dep. Capt @ $17.63 x 400% = $70.52 per hour
Captain @ $20.35 x 400% = $81.40 per hour

2. Retained members available and “on call” from 1800 hrs to 0900 hrs

2.1 All retained members who declare their availability for the 15 hours between 1800 hrs on 31 December and 0900 hrs on 1 January will be paid a special $250 “on call” allowance, provided that retained members who do so but fail to attend any call (ie even one call) within this 15 hour period will not be paid the “on call” allowance.

2.2 Subject to point No. 3 below, payment for any time actually worked between 1800 hrs and 0900 hrs will be absorbed by the $250 “on-call” allowance, meaning that members will have to actually attend more than (roughly) 3.5 hours of incidents, or their equivalent, before they will qualify for payment in excess of $250.

2.3 Retained members who don’t qualify for the $250 allowance by either:
a) not declaring their availability for the full 15 hour period; or
b) not attending every call over the full 15 hour period;
may still respond and be paid at the special 400% rate (see point 1).

3. Retained members who “stand-by” from 2200 hrs to 0130 hrs

3.1 Each retained station will be staffed by 5 members (to be selected locally on a station by station basis) between 2200 hrs and 0130 hrs. These members will each be paid at the special 400% rate over these 3.5 hours (ie $246.82 for firefighters and $284.90 for Captains) in addition to the $250 “on-call” allowance. In other words, retained members who actually form part of the “stand-by” crew between 2200 hrs and 0130 hrs, and who maintain availability throughout the 15 hour period from 1800 hrs to 0900 hrs will be paid a minimum of $496.82 (firefighters) or $534.90 (Captains).

3.2 Any incidents attended by “stand-by” members within the 3.5 hour “stand-by” period will not attract further payment. Any calls attended by “stand-by” members outside the 3.5 hour “stand-by” period will be paid in line with points 1 and 2.

4. Jointly Staffed Stations

4.1 Where retained members are attached to stations with permanent staffing on the Special and Back to Back Rosters, retained members will staff the station between 2200 hrs and 0130 hrs in accordance with point 3.

4.2 Where retained members are attached to a 10/14 Roster station, retained firefighters will not be required to staff the station between 2200 hrs and 0130 hrs, although retained members may still be paid in line with points 1 and 2.

5. Country and Back to Back Roster Station Officers “on call”

5.1 Station Officers at single CSO stations (ie 1 S/O and retained) will be deemed to be “on call” unless they indicate otherwise, and will therefore receive the $250 “on call” allowance, subject to the same provisions at point 2 above.
(continued 2nd page)

5.2 Station Officers at Back to Back stations will be deemed to be “on call” and paid the $250 “on-call” allowance as per point 5.1 above, provided that only one Station Officer at each Back to Back station will be eligible for the $250 “on call” allowance (unless agreed otherwise between the two Station Officers, the “F” Platoon Station Officer will be “on call”).

6. Permanent firefighters, Officers and Executive Officers “on call”

6.1 Permanent firefighters and Officers from specialist areas who are not rostered to work, but who have been formally placed on notice by the Department that they may be required will be paid the $250 “on call” allowance. Members who have not been placed on notice, but who believe they may still be required are advised to seek confirmation from their supervisor on their situation as soon as possible.

6.2 All Executive Officers (Superintendent and above) will be deemed to be “on call” unless they indicate otherwise, and will therefore receive the $250 “on call” allowance, subject to the same provisions for retained members at point 2.

6.3 Any time actually worked by permanent members will be absorbed by the $250 “on call” allowance.

6.4 No other permanent member, including members on the recall roster, will be eligible for payment of the $250 “on call” allowance.

7. Permanent members working between 1800 hrs and 0900 hrs

7.1 Any permanent member who actually works between 1800 hrs on 31 December and 0900 hrs on 1 January will be paid at an effective rate of 4 times their normal Award base rate only (ie allowances will be paid standard rates). Subject to point 10 below, all members on “C” Platoon will be paid the full 14 hour night shift at the special 400% rate, and all members on “B” Platoon will be paid at this special rate for the single hour between 0800 hrs and 0900 hrs on January 1, with standard Award provisions to resume at 0900 hrs.

7.2 Members will only receive these rates of pay if they actually work during the period (ie they do not take any form of leave – annual, sick or consolidated, etc).

8. Permanent members on overtime between 1800 hrs and 0900 hrs

8.1 Permanent members who are recalled to duty for any reason shall be paid in accordance with point 7.1 above. In accordance with the Award, members recalled in order to maintain minimum staffing will be entitled to a minimum of 4 hrs pay, whilst members recalled for any other purpose will be entitled to a minimum of 2 hrs.

8.2 Permanent members who work 10 hours or more as a result of a recall (ie a standard night recall) will receive the equivalent of 14 hours pay at the special New Year’s Eve 400% rate (ie for the entire 14 hour shift).

9. Permanent members on overtime from previous shift 

9.1 Permanent members working day shift on 31 December 1999 (“B” Pltn., “F” Pltn or Special Roster) who remain on duty past 1800 hrs for any reason – being either attendance at an incident or to maintain minimum staffing – will be paid at the special New Year’s Eve 400% rate until dismissed and/or relieved, provided that the minimum payment of $250 (see point 8.2) will not apply in these circumstances.

9.2 Permanent members working night shift (“C” Pltn) on 31 December 1999 who stay back past 0800 hrs for any reason – being either attendance at an incident or to maintain minimum staffing – will be paid at the special 400% rate for the first hour (or part thereof), and at standard Award rates of time and a half for the 2nd hour, and double time thereafter.

10. Maximum rate payable

10.1 Irrespective of anything to the contrary contained above, the maximum rate that may be earned by any member will be $113.32 per hour.
Chris Read,
State Secretary