News

We have been negotiating with the Department for close to 12 months now over staffing for the new Hazmat vans. The fact is that there was no consultation whatsoever with our Union on this question prior to the introduction of […]

The dispute returned to the Industrial Relations Commission at 10am today. The Government explained its final position, which we regret to say really hasn’t changed at all from July last year. We of course again flatly rejected it.

Last week, during negotiations over the D&D dispute the Department confirmed that in the first stages of their proposal for a mandatory health and fitness standard approximately 500 permanent firefighters will “move through the system”. When pressed on what that […]

The Department has recently attempted to enforce its telephone usage policy, as promulgated in In Orders 2000/22, by serving some members with STD bills for their station. However, there has been no formal agreement reached with the Union on what […]

The Union Office has recently become aware of various memos from certain Regional Commanders concerning award provisions relating to Personal/Carers Leave. In particular, whether the Department requires members to produce a medical certificate or statutory declaration in support of such […]

Two important meetings took place this week, the first to agree upon the latest series of costings prepared by the independent actuary and the second, which was held yesterday, to work through those agreed figures. From our perspective it now […]

There were no negotiations held between the parties over the last week, save for a brief meeting between the Union and the Minister. The parties remain scheduled to report back to the IRC on Thursday 29 March, by which time […]

The Union recently became aware of a document which is currently being circulated by fax entitled “Beginning of a New Era in Superannuation: New Deal Accepted for all Super Members” dated 8th February 2001.

Funeral for the late Senior Firefighter Ray Watson The Union has conveyed our deepest sympathy on behalf of all elected officials and rank and file members to the family of our comrade of 34 years, Senior Firefighter Ray Watson, following […]

Coming on top of earlier offers, each of which was put to us at the time as their bottom line, the Government presented us with a “discussion paper” on July 7. Subsequent meetings combined with correspondence received this week have […]

The Government today placed half-page ads concerning the D&D Dispute in the Sydney Morning Herald (at a cost of $20,000) and the Daily Telegraph ($10,000). Frankly we found their ad to be about as hard-hitting (and accurate) as the daily […]

The Union’s State Committee of Management held an urgent meeting today to consider the further direction of the long-running Death and Disability Dispute. At the conclusion of an extensive debate, punctuated by a further meeting with Government representatives this afternoon […]