News

Sitrep 63/2022: FRNSW’s state election message; Draft Log of Claims; Public Holiday pay and a Christmas message from us

December 23, 2022

FRNSW’s State Election Message 

Yesterday, you would have received email correspondence from the Commissioner concerning “political neutrality” during the upcoming NSW State Election. 

Whilst the email addresses the limitations around firefighters’ capacity to partake in political conversations as a FRNSW employee, it fails to acknowledge your right to advocate for our profession alongside your Union, as an FBEU member and as a worker with an important message for the community.   

The FBEU have a proud history of advocacy, both for the firefighter profession and for community safety. FBEU members are the experts in our occupation and we will continue to do what is needed to secure much needed change in our job. 

Waiting for the decision makers to make change stretches us thin and has us doing more with less, at the expense of the community.  FRNSW now employ 76 firefighters less than they did 12 years ago, despite huge population growth across the state. Comparatively, the FRNSW Executive Team have doubled in numbers during this time.  

Status quo is important to decision makers that aren’t firefighters and who have failed to advocate and secure the things that we need to get the job done.  It is those people who wish to curtail your right to political expression because they know that when we speak out collectively, the community listen.

We will have more to say on this in the new year.

Additional Public Holidays over the Christmas/New Year period

Some clarification has been requested concerning additional public holidays during the festive period. The following serves to clarify public holiday provisions: 

Sunday 25^th December
Monday 26^th December
Tuesday 27^th December (Additional public holiday)
Sunday 1^st January
Monday 2^nd January (Additional public holiday) 

Permanent Fire Fighting Staff

In accordance with the Permanent Award, permanent firefighters rostered to work on the additional public holiday, are entitled to be credited with the same number of hours of Consolidated Leave as those hours actually worked on the day. 

Accordingly, all Permanent Firefighters who work any hours between 0000 hrs and 23:59 hrs on 27 December 2022, are entitled to the same amount of those hours worked credited to their Consolidated Leave balance.

Permanent Firefighters who work any hours between 0000 hrs and 2359 hrs on 2 January 2023, are entitled to the same amount of those hours worked credited to their Consolidated Leave balance.

Retained Firefighting Staff

In accordance with the Retained Award, retained firefighter employees who work on any additional public holiday shall be paid at overtime rates for all hours worked on each such day. 

Accordingly, all Retained Firefighters who work any hours between 0000 hrs and 23.59 hrs on 27 December 2022, are entitled to be paid at overtime rates.

Retained Firefighters who work any hours between 0000 hrs and 2359 hrs on 2 January 2023, are entitled to be paid at overtime rates.

FBEU Draft Log of Claims

With bargaining upon us again, the FBEU will be putting forward an extensive log of claims designed to deliver real reform to our job for all ranks, across the Permanent and Retained workforce.  

SGM’s will be held throughout January for further discussion and endorsement of the logs. In the meantime, the proposal is presented in draft award form below, with new clauses or entitlements highlighted in green. 

If you have any further feedback on the proposed draft logs we ask that you provide these via email to office@fbeu.net no later than January 4 2023.

We want to thank all of you who assisted us through the drafting process by providing feedback, information and attending meetings.

You can access the Log of Claims via the links below:

Permanent                          Retained                              Death and Disability

 

A Christmas message from your FBEU team

On behalf of our Elected Officials and staff, we wish you an enjoyable, relaxing and safe festive season. 

We want to thank all of our members for their contributions for what has been a huge year building for an even bigger 2023.

The FBEU office will be closed from 22^nd December, at midday, and will reopen on Tuesday 3^rd January. If you have any urgent matters during that time, please contact your SCOM rep. 

In Unity

Leighton Drury

State Secretary

 

A printable version of this Sitrep can be downloaded here.