News

SitRep 55/2024

September 27, 2024

WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY ASSURANCE REVIEWS

 As a follow-up to the email sent out by the Director of Health & Safety yesterday, members who have been asked to complete a WHS Assurance Review are reminded that they do not need to complete the reviews until further notice.

 The Department rolled out these reviews without consulting the FBEU and it is our expectation that none are started, continued, or completed, until that consultation concludes.

 The additional workload placed on Senior Officers and their teams is taking working hours away from supporting Firefighters, approving pays, and filling shortages on appliances.

 

RETAINED PERCENTAGES

 A reminder to Retained Firefighters that Clause 23.2 of the Award states that any calls received while a Firefighter is on an authorised absence (basically, either on leave or performing any other duties with FRNSW) will not count towards their attendance percentages.

 We wrote to the Department this week to confirm that this clause has been implemented and asking for confirmation that nobody is having incidents while on an authorised absence counted against their percentages.

 

AWARD ARBITRATION UPDATE

 The FBEU is finalising its evidence for the Award arbitration. Thank you to the nearly 50 witnesses who have agreed to provide evidence to support the Award claim – there is an enormous amount of information being put into evidence and we know that with the experience and expertise of our members, we will be able to put our best foot forward to secure our log of claims through the arbitration process.

 This evidence will be finalised over the next week. Further evidence may be required by members once we received the Department’s evidence in the coming weeks.

In Unity,

Leighton Drury
State Secretary

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