MW3 members can’t be directed to relieve into the GSA
February 16, 2007
Permanent members stationed within the Blue Mountains Fire District are reminded of the provisions of subclause 12.4 of the Award:
12.4 Except in the case of Inspectors and for relief duties performed outside the GSA, Newcastle, Gosford, Wyong and Wollongong Fire Districts, Relieving Employees (or other employees pursuant to 12.1.2) cannot be directed to perform relief duty outside the Fire District to which they are attached.
Windsor, Richmond and Riverstone are all within the GSA, so the exception in the first line of 12.4 does not apply and as a result, members at 343 or 802 Stations cannot be directed to perform relief duties (including outduties) into any of these stations.
Members (and management) should note that the Department’s recent re-structure has had no bearing whatsoever on this. The Department’s restructure changed NSWFB Zone names and boundaries. It did not change the Award’s definition of the GSA, nor did it change the Blue Mountains Fire District’s boundaries.
The bottom line is that members at 343 or 802 Stations may elect to perform relief duties at 81, 82 or 83 Stations, but you cannot be directed to go there. This isn’t a Union ban – it’s an Award condition.
In a similar vein, the Union’s State Committee recently considered the transfer of Windsor and Richmond into the new MW3 zone, and the allocation of recalls and outduties into both Stations. Consistent with subclause 12.4 and the above advice, the State Committee determined that members within MW1 should continue to perform the relieving, recalls and outduties at those Stations with the following resolution:
“That State Committee notes the recent transfer of Windsor and Richmond Fire Stations from the former West 2 zone to the new Metropolitan West 3 zone and the fact that, when required, permanent members from the former zone performed the out-duties and recalls at Windsor and Richmond and further that, the Brigades’ recent restructure notwithstanding, those members will continue to perform out-duties at both stations and therefore resolves that the permanent members within the new Metropolitan West 1 zone should continue to perform the recalls and out-duties, when required, at both Windsor and Richmond Fire Stations.”
