News

February SGM Proposed New Awards

February 16, 2005

Sydney West – A combined South-West Sydney and North-West Sydney Sub-Branch meeting will be held at No. 97 Station, Huntingwood commencing 1000 hours on Monday 21 February.
Newcastle – The Newcastle Sub-Branch will meet at Panthers Cardiff Club commencing 1000 hours on Tuesday 22 February.

Central Coast – The Central Coast Sub-Branch will meet at No. 228 Station, Berkeley Vale commencing 1300 hours on Tuesday 22 February.

Illawarra – The Illawarra Sub-Branch will meet at No. 503 Station, Wollongong commencing 1800 hours on Tuesday 22 February.

Sydney SGM – The central Sydney SGM will be held at the Tom Mann Theatre, Chalmers St Surry Hills, commencing 1000 hours on Thursday 24 February.

Country – Combined Country/Retained Sub-Branch meetings may be held locally at any Fire Station situated outside of the Greater Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast and Illawarra areas prior to Thursday 24 February, provided that:
a) notice of intention to hold a local meeting has been given to the State Secretary by no later than 3pm Tuesday 22 February; and
b) a quorum of at least 7 financial Union members will be physically present for the duration of each meeting; and
c) the vote from each meeting is forwarded to the State Secretary prior to 9am Thursday 24 February in order to be added to the total SGM vote.

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AGENDA ITEMS

• Open
• Apologies
• Secretary’s Report
• Questions on notice

1) Debate and voting on a State Committee of Management proposal for new 3 year Permanent and Retained awards.

“That this meeting notes and adopts the State Committee of Management’s resolution of 11 February 2005 which reads:

“That the correspondence from the Department dated 10 February 2005 and headed “Matter No. MIC 4 of 2004 – Special Case Before the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW” (Attachment 1) be received, noted and put to a SGM of members to be held commencing 1000 hrs, Thursday 24 February 2005 at the AMWU Tom Mann Theatre, Chalmers Street Surry Hills together with a recommendation from the State Committee of Management that Offer No. 2 contained therein should be accepted on the revised terms set out in the attached correspondence in reply [dated 16 February 2005 (Attachment 2) and the Department’s correspondence dated 16 February 2005 confirming the agreement (Attachment 3)].

In resolving this way, State Committee notes that:

a) Both the union and the employer had expected that the Union’s Special Case would be heard, and a judgment handed down before the end of the 2004 calendar year. The Union’s case is not scheduled to be concluded until 12th October 2005, the Full Bench’s decision following sometime thereafter;

b) In February 2004, The Governments position was for increases of 3% per annum with any increases beyond that to be fully funded by firefighter productivity offsets (i.e. increased workloads and/or reduced conditions of employment). By contrast, the proposed wage settlement set out in Offer No. 2 provides increases of 4% per annum without the need for any extra duties, new work practices or variations to the Award other than for certain improvements to existing leave provisions;

c) Offer No. 2 presents the best possible outcome for those members aiming to retire during 2005;

d) Whilst the re-election of the Howard Government in October 2004 was widely predicted, an outright majority for the coalition in the Senate was definitely not. The Howard Government has in recent weeks announced its intention to abolish State Industrial Jurisdictions (including the NSW IRC) as soon as possible upon taking control of the Senate in July this year. Depending on the timing, the Special Case may not even be able to be concluded prior to this occurring.”

Accordingly, this meeting determines that the proposed 2005 Permanent and Retained Awards, as reported to and tabled at this meeting, be received, noted and endorsed, and that the State Secretary be authorised to now arrange for the making of those Awards by the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW.”

State Committee of Management recommendation: SUPPORT

The accompanying draft 2005 Permanent and Retained Awards will be posted on the Union’s website by Friday 18 February.

Meeting Close

Craig Harris
Acting State Secretary
Wednesday 16 February 2005

 

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Attachment 1
10 February 2005

Mr Chris Read
State Secretary
NSW Fire Brigade Employees’ Union
267 Sussex Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Dear Mr Read,

“WITHOUT PREJEDICE”

Re: Matter No.MIC 4 of 2004
Special Case before the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW

I am writing in relation to the above matter, and discussions held on 9 February 2005, and today before Mr Deputy President Grayson of the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW, between the NSW Fire Brigades, the Public Employment Office and the Union.

I confirm the following without prejudice offers in respect of the above discussions:

1. 3% p.a. increase over 1 year

In acknowledgement that the Special Case will not conclude before the expiry of the Crown Employees (NSW Fire Brigades Firefighting Staff) Award 2004 and to maintain the value of real wage increases, a one year Award providing a 3% p.a. increase is offered to all employees covered by the above Award. Such increase shall take effect on and from the beginning of the first pay period to commence on or after 24 February 2005.

2. 4% p.a. increase over 3 years

Alternatively, the NSW Government is prepared to offer a new 3 year award with increases of 4% p.a. to Permanent Firefighters, subject to the following conditions:

• Withdrawal of the FBEU’s Special Case;

• An MOU to be drafted which provides that the wage increases offered are in recognition of work value changes, and productivity and efficiency improvements up until the commencement of the new award therefore establishing a new datum point for any future work value claims; and

• Enhanced of leave arrangements in line with those agreed with other public sector unions taking into account particular circumstances applying to Firefighters. 

Such increases of 4% p.a. shall apply from the beginning of the first pay period to commence on or after 24 February 2005, 24 February 2006 and 24 February 2007 respectively.

Together with the 4% increase provided under the Crown Employees (NSW Fire Brigades Firefighting Staff) Award 2004 this option would provide Firefighters with a total of nearly 17% in salary increases.

Please note that the above offers are also made in relation to the Crown Employees (NSW Fire Brigades Retained Firefighting Staff) Award 2004, with the operative date(s) applying from 1 April 2005 respectively.

As the matter is currently before the Industrial Relation Commission, it would be appreciated if the FBEU could respond, in writing, to the NSW Fire Brigades by Wednesday 16 February 2005.

Should you wish to discuss the matter further, I am available on 9265 2930.

Yours sincerely
(signed)
Greg Mullins AFSM
Commissioner

 

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Attachment 2

 

16 February 2005

Mr. Greg Mullins AFSM
Commissioner
New South Wales Fire Brigades
PO BOX A249
SYDNEY SOUTH NSW 1232

Dear Sir,

Re.: Matter No MIC 4 of 2004

I refer to your letter dated 10 February 2005, and previous discussions held between the Union, Department and Public Employment Office (PEO) regarding this issue.

Subject to endorsement by the Union’s members at meetings to be held the week commencing 21 February 2005, the Union agrees to new three (3) year consent awards with wage increases of 4% per annum applying from:

• 24 February 2005, 24 February 2006 and 24 February 2007 to expire on 23 February 2008 for the Permanent Award; and

• 1 April 2005, 1 April 2006 and 1 April 2007 to expire on 31 March 2008 for the Retained Award. 

These three wage increases, will be fully funded by New South Wales Treasury budgetary allocations and will not be conditional on productivity offsets. The parties (ie. FBEU, the NSW Fire Brigades and the PEO) agree that there shall be no variation of the abovementioned awards except with the express agreement of both parties.

The new awards shall also contain the following enhancements to leave conditions:

1. The introduction of one (1) week of paid paternity leave;
2. Increasing paid maternity leave and paid adoption leave from the current nine (9) weeks to 14 weeks at full pay or 28 weeks at half pay;
3. Permitting access to pro-rata long service leave after 7 years service, in contrast to the current arrangements where access is usually granted after 10 years;
4. Allowing employees to take a period of extended leave at double pay, ie. an employee may use their entitlement to 2 months extended leave by taking 1 months leave and receiving 2 months pay for that 1 month period; and
5. Public holidays that fall while an employee is on a period of long service leave will be paid and not debited from an employee’s leave entitlement.

The Union will withdraw its Special Case before the Full Bench (MIC No 4 of 2004) and recognises that:

• the above mentioned wage increases compensate for all work value changes, special case considerations, and productivity and efficiency improvements up to 24 February 2005; and

• that the datum point for any future work value claims will be 24 February 2005. 

Yours faithfully,
(signed)
Chris Read
State Secretary

 

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Attachment 3

 

16 February 2005

Mr Chris Read
State Secretary
NSW Fire Brigade Employees’ Union
267 Sussex Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Dear Mr Read,

Re: Matter No.MIC 4 of 2004

I am writing in response to the FBEU’s letter dated 16 February 2005 to confirm the NSW Fire Brigades’ and Public Employment Office, Premier’s Department’s agreement to new three year consent Awards, in the terms outlined in the above referred letter, and subject to the following clarification:

The date of application of wage increases will be as follows:

Crown Employees (NSW Fire Brigades Firefighting Staff) Award 2005

Wage increases of 4% per annum over three years to Permanent Firefighters shall apply from the beginning of the first pay period to commence on or after 24 February 2005, 24 February 2006 and 24 February 2007 respectively.

Crown Employees (NSW Fire Brigades Retained Firefighting Staff) Award 2005

Wage increases of 4% per annum over three years to Retained Firefighters shall take effect on and from 1 April 2005, 1 April 2006 and 1 April 2007 respectively.

I am pleased that this matter (subject to the endorsement of the Union membership) has been finalised, ensuring that Firefighters will benefit from wage increases for the next three years. I look forward to the consent Awards being ratified by the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW in due course.

Should you have any enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact me on 9265 2930.

Yours sincerely
(signed)
Greg Mullins AFSM
Commissioner