As advised in the notice of June 15, the Union’s State Committee of Management has now approved of amendments to Rule 6 of our Union’s Rules which reflect the Howard Government’s imposition of the GST on trade union membership dues. The State Committee opted for a 9% (but not the full 10%) increase in the dues payable which, if approved, will come into effect on August 10 in line with the 2nd 2% wage increase for permanent members. Union dues will therefore be adjusted on and from that date to reflect a 9% GST levy and the 5% wage rises to that date (ie the February 3% and the August 2% rises combined) resulting in weekly dues of $7.48 for permanent members and $1.50 for retained members.
The existing sub-rules (5), (6) and (7) of Rule 6 are set out below, with the proposed amendment to each sub-rule following in bold immediately thereafter:
(5) The total weekly dues for permanent Firefighters and Officers shall be calculated at the rate of 0.87% of the total weekly rate of pay (including rostered overtime) of a Firefighter Level 1.
(5) The total weekly dues for permanent Firefighters and Officers shall be calculated by taking 0.95% of the total weekly rate of pay of a Firefighter Level 1 and then multiplying that figure by 1.09 to provide for the Federal Government’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) and rounding the result to the nearest cent.
(6) The total weekly dues for partially paid or volunteer firefighters shall be calculated at the rate of one fifth of the weekly dues payable under sub-rule (5). The monthly dues shall be calculated by multiplying the weekly dues by 52.1785 and then dividing by 12.
(6) The total weekly dues for partially paid or volunteer firefighters shall be calculated at the rate of one fifth of the total weekly dues payable under sub-rule (5), rounded to the nearest cent. The monthly dues shall be calculated by multiplying the weekly dues by 52.1785, dividing that figure by 12 and rounding the result to the nearest cent.
(7) If a Deed of Arrangement is entered into between the Union and the National Union pursuant to Rule 30(6) there may be added to the amount payable by all members an amount equal to 0.08% of the total weekly rate of pay (including rostered overtime) of a Firefighter, Level 1 which may be collected by the Union on behalf of the National Union.
(7) The weekly dues collected under sub-rules (5) and (6) of this Rule shall include membership subscriptions collected by the Union on behalf of the National Union under any Deed of Arrangement made pursuant to Rule 30 (6).
Rule 47 requires that all Rule changes are circulated to members’ workplaces within 14 days, and allows for a postal plebiscite of all members on the proposed amendments if a written request, signed by at least one fortieth of the Union’s members, is received by the State Secretary within 28 days. If no such request is received then the proposed Rule amendments will, subject to the approval of the Industrial Registrar, take effect. Accordingly, members are hereby advised of the proposed amendments to Rule 6, sub-rules (5), (6) and (7).
