News

Joint FBEU / FRNSW announcement re Permanent Award

November 13, 2014

Both Fire & Rescue NSW and the Fire Brigade Employees’ Union are pleased to advise that a new Permanent Award was made by agreement yesterday and will commence tomorrow.  See Crown Employees (Fire and Rescue NSW Permanent Firefighting Staff) Award 2014 to review the detailed changes.

The main changes are:

  • A 2.5% increase for all ranks in wages and wage related allowances
  • A further 2% relativity increase in February 2015 for some 2,200 Senior Firefighters and Station Officers that will result in total increases of 4.47% and 4.14% for those ranks
  • Changes to the classification structure that combines Firefighter Level 1 and Firefighter Level 2 in a new classification of Firefighter; Station Officer Level 1 and Station Officer Level 2 in a new classification of Station Officer and the creation of a new classification of Leading Station Officer
  • Increased progression opportunities with at least 250 new Leading Firefighter and Leading Station Officer positions, commencing with an initial recruitment early next year
  • Progression and promotion is now more heavily based on merit and self-paced learning with promotion to Station Officer and Inspector positions involving relevant experience in the field
  • Current Operational Support 3 positions will become Inspector positions, enhancing promotion opportunities and FRNSW’s deployment to manage major emergencies
  • Preservation of salary and entitlements for all incumbents of Operational Support positions
  • Higher Duties arrangements will enable Leading Firefighters and Leading Station Officers to act-up for absences of Station Officers and Inspectors respectively, with Station Officers now performing outduties. This will allow those acting-up to gain the higher rates, valuable practical experience and development
  • Firefighters in country and regional NSW will be able to progress and be promoted through to the rank of Inspector without the need to relocate themselves and their families to Sydney
  • Firefighters will be able to request alternative rosters as well as part-time work. The Hours of Work clause also opens up the possibility of firefighters being able to request longer shifts up to 24 hours
  • The annual leave clause allows for the introduction of new annual leave rosters. These new arrangements will provide for annual leave groups that do not cut through sets of shifts on the 10/14 roster
  • Training and assessments will be delivered in more flexible and modern ways, reducing the need for firefighters to have to travel from home for extended periods to attend face-to-face training.

The new Award benefits firefighters, supports a culture of reward for individual effort and merit, the modernisation of systems and processes and ensures more flexible deployment of resources to the benefit of the community. It also delivers significant wage rises in the current environment and the highest in the public sector.

Greg Mullins AFSM                                   Jim Casey
Commissioner                                            State Secretary
FRNSW                                                        FBEU

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