News

SitRep 44/2024

July 19, 2024

AWARD UPDATE – Awards to be Arbitrated

 

Both parties reported back to the IRC today regarding the status of Award negotiations. Despite genuine attempts made by the Union over the past two weeks to negotiate and conciliate an outcome, the Awards will now be arbitrated.

What does this mean? The log of claims endorsed by the FBEU membership last year will now go before a full bench of the IRC/Industrial Court where a formal hearing will determine an outcome. Shortly, a timetable for arbitration will be determined, providing both parties opportunity to provide evidence. This will not be a short process, and it is imperative that the time is used wisely to make our full case. Those deciding upon our Award need to hear from you, alongside other expert witnesses, as to why our claims are so necessary. We will be reaching out to key members in due course once a firm timetable is available.

Finally, it is highly disappointing that we have had resort to this option, even after months of negotiations. Not one of our claims has been agreed to by FRNSW and the State Government. Neither have demonstrated any interest in working with the FBEU to fully assess the productivity, efficiency, and work value of our claims and to delivery fair pay and conditions for their firefighters.

These negotiations have failed to demonstrate the fair and more collaborative bargaining process guaranteed by the Minns Government. There will be plenty more to say and action to take on this shortly.

 

CODE RED UPDATE – Sydney Metro

Following last week’s Code Red, a timely but deeply concerning incident has occurred on the North-West metro operated by Metro Trains Sydney (MTS). The incident, described as a ‘total failure’ of MTS (Metro Trains Sydney), saw the entire rail network grounded including several trains carrying passengers stuck in tunnels between stations. FRNSW were not contacted until an hour after the incident occurred and operations on scene were hindered by an inability of the operator to follow basic emergency management plans. Members will find greater detail via the Sydney Morning Herald who reported on the matter Monday.

This week the FBEU met with the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR), FRNSW, Minister Dib, and the office of the Transport Minister. We have stated, in no uncertain terms, that these circumstances are unacceptable and pose a significant risk to FBEU members and the commuting public alike.

It remains the view of the FBEU that the State Government’s 4 August deadline, for the commencement of revenue service in the newest section of the metro, is untenable. Further discussions are occurring with FRNSW but for now the Code Red remains in place.

 

8 ON THE FIREGROUND UPDATE

Members will have noticed that the Department is now following the Award clauses requiring 8 FRNSW Firefighters to be responded to all structure fires.

While this is only a trial to test the system and ensure the turnout systems and response systems are able to handle the change, and only currently in Fire District, it is an important start on a critical safety measure that the Department agreed to place into the Awards in October 2023.

Once the trial is complete, we will be working quickly to ensure that it is implemented fully and across every Fire District as well as outside of Fire District.

Your health and safety does not stop at the end of an arbitrary border on a map and we are waiting for the Department to agree that the trial should extend to anywhere within NSW and we expect that this will be the case once it is implemented fully.

The included incident types are: BUILDING FIRE, CARAVAN FIRE, DOMESTIC SMOKE ALARM, ELECTRICAL FIRE, EXPLOSION, FACTORY FIRE, FURNACE BLOWOUT, GARAGE FIRE DOMESTIC, HOUSE FIRE, OIL REFINERY FIRE, SCHOOL FIRE, SILO INCIDENT, STRUCTURE FIRE 1ST ALARM, STRUCTURE FIRE 2ND ALARM, SUBSTATION FIRE, TRANSFORMER FIRE, UNIT FIRE, AFA, AFA VERBALLY NOTIFIED, MONITORED PRIVATE FIRE ALARM, TRAIN FIRE, GAS FIRE, GAS CYLINDER FIRE, MACHINERY FIRE.

If there are any turnouts to any of the above incident types without two FRNSW Pumpers attached, contact Comms via radio and request a second pumper immediately, and report it to the FBEU: office@fbeu.net. If your request for a second FRNSW Pumper is refused, call your FBEU Sub-Branch Secretary immediately for assistance.

 

In Unity,

Leighton Drury
State Secretary

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