News

WATER TANKER FOR ENGADINE?

October 6, 1998

Yesterday the Commissioner NSWFB issued an e-mail message on the subject matter. It read as follows:

It is intended that the water tanker from Miranda be re-positioned at Engadine Fire Station with a retained firefighter crew. The recruitment process for retained firefighters has commenced and it is hoped that the water tanker at Engadine will be operational before Christmas.

I D MAC DOUGALL    AC

Commissioner

15 October 1998

I would like to make our Union’s position on this issue absolutely clear for the benefit of rank and file members at both Miranda and Engadine.

Whilst the June Special General Meeting authorised our Union’s elected officials to conclude negotiations on the relocation of water tankers, discussions with the Department on this subject have not even commenced let alone been finalised. As a result, I can assure members that there is currently NO AGREEMENT with our Union for the relocation of Miranda’s water tanker to Engadine.

Those members who attended the June SGM would be aware that a relocation to Engadine was floated as one of a number of possible options for Miranda’s tanker. However, that is all it was (and remains) – ONE OPTION ONLY. The Union’s officials are also well aware of the structural problems with 33 Station, as well as the overcrowding and other related amenities issues which would follow from this proposal.

Members are hereby instructed to ignore the Commissioner’s memo on this subject. The fact is, in the absence of full and proper negotiation our Union will not agree to this or any other proposal. Irrespective of any further unilateral Departmental instructions, there will not be a tanker at Engadine until we as a Union agree.

Chris Read

State Secretary

Friday 16^th October, 1998