No member of the FBEU will shed any tears over Barry O’Farrell’s fall from grace. After promising to lead a government that was clean and accountable he has been caught out taking gifts from the same type of corporate spivs that blighted the last Labor government. For the sake of a $3000 bottle of wine his career is in ruins, and his government now looks every bit as venal as the one he replaced.
Gratifying as this is, it is unlikely to lead to any improvements for firefighters. The Premier-elect, Mike Baird, is as committed to the government’s slash and burn approach to the public sector in general, and firefighting in particular, as O’Farrell ever was. Indeed, as Treasurer he was the architect of both the funding cuts and the public sector wages policy that are slowly strangling our job.
So while it enormously satisfying to see O’Farrell hoist by his own petard the immediate challenge for the FBEU has not changed – we need to force this government to stop cutting the budget of FRNSW and start resourcing us properly to do our job.
Easter Sunday – who gets the consolidated leave?
Further to SITREP 13/2014 and numerous member inquiries, members are reminded that permanent members of Inspector rank or below who actually work on Easter Sunday 2014 (20 April) will be credited with the following consolidated leave:
B Platoon = 10 hours consolidated leave (0800 to 1800 hours);
C Platoon = 6 hours consolidated leave (1800 to 0000 hours);
D Platoon = 8 hours consolidated leave (0001 to 0800 hours); and
F Platoon = 12 hours consolidated leave (0600 to 1800 hours).
Members who work overtime on Easter Sunday are also entitled to be credited the same number of hours of consolidated leave as those hours actually worked by them on that day. This consolidated leave credit is in addition to the penalty rates paid for the overtime worked.
Members who are rostered to work on Easter Sunday but do not actually work on the day due to any form of leave or a part-change will not be credited with the consolidated leave. Members who do perform a part-change of shift on Sunday get the consolidated leave, not the member who was rostered to work.
Jim Casey
State Secretary
For a printable copy of this SITREP, please click here.
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