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Department walks away from PSTP Stage 2

July 7, 2006

As late as yesterday afternoon, the Department finally put the cards on the table and informed our Union that it can not and will not fund any wages increases as a result of the introduction of the second stage of the Public Safety Training Package. Further, the Department has also flagged an intention to walk away from the nationally-recognised PSTP training and accreditation regime above the rank of Qualified Firefighter altogether.

In short we are now facing the prospect of not having our qualifications recognised nationally, not having the increase in work and responsibilities that we have been loaded up with recognised and, most importantly, not meeting the expectations that members have in being the highest paid firefighters in Australia’s most expensive city and state.

The following table gives an indication of just how far behind NSW firies now are:

NSWFB rank

$ per annum

ACTFB rank

$ per annum

difference

Recruit Firefighter $44,038 Recruit Firefighter $48,661 $4,623 pa
Firefighter Level 1 $51,073 3rd Class Firefighter $52,518 $1,446 pa
Firefighter Level 2 $53,910 2nd Class Firefighter $55,238 $1,372 pa
Qualified Firefighter $56,748 1st Class Firefighter $60,258 $3,510 pa
Senior Firefighter $59,019 Senior Firefighter $63,575 $4,556 pa
Leading Firefighter $63,559     $16 pa
Station Officer Level 1 $68,095 Station Officer $72,740 $4,326 pa
Station Officer Level 2 $70,936     $1,484 pa
Inspector $84,360 District Officer $86,517 $2,157 pa
Superintendent $105,883 Superintendent $100,096 -$5,787 pa

Earlier this year the ACT Branch of our national union fronted the IRC to successfully argue for these wage rates. The big difference between the ACTFB and NSWFB is that management in the ACT fully supported the Union’s arguments that there had been an enormous increase in firefighter skills and responsibilities.

 

Simon Flynn

State Secretary

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