In accordance with Rule 11, a Special General Meeting of members will be held on Tuesday 31 July 2007, commencing at 1000 hours at the Trades Hall Auditorium, Goulburn Street, Sydney. Sub-Branch meeting details will be circulated separately next week.
AGENDA
• Apologies
• State Secretary’s report
• Motions on notice
1. From the State Committee re: 2008 award claims
“That the Union shall claim a minimum 6.7% increase in wages and increased employer contribution to superannuation in forthcoming award negotiations given that the NSW Government has directed that all public servants including firefighters will be offered an increase of just 2.5%. The claim is to be backed by a campaign targeting all members of the lower house of Parliament seeking their support for firefighters to receive no less an increase in wages than politicians, increased employer contribution to superannuation and a commitment to support the right of firefighters to bargain collectively for wages and conditions.”
State Committee of Management recommendation: SUPPORT
2. From the rank and file re: retained shortages
“That the N.S.W. Fire Brigade Employees Union hereby be instructed by its members to rescind the State Committee resolution posted on the 1st of June concerning permanent members covering retained shortages and re-instate as an interim policy the principles contained in the NSWFBEU letter of 30th April 1996 entitled “Retained Staffing In-Orders 1995/20 Explained” in particular, part 3(D), until such time as a new policy can be debated and voted on by all members.”
State Committee of Management recommendation: REJECT
on the grounds that rescinding the Union’s policy referred to in the notice of 1 June 2007 and re-introducing the Union notice of 30 April 1996 would lead to a cut in the wages of retained firefighters who maintained safe and effective minimum crewing from $54.18 per hour to as little as $24.37 per hour, thereby allowing the Department to pay retained members close to half their present entitlement and directly undermining the wages and conditions of all Union members. The State Committee expresses this concern in part because the 1996 Union notice, which pre-dates the Union’s subsequent success in securing the $54.18 per hour rate for retained members, required that retained members were paid at the (lower) fire call rate.
