News

The tax treatment of travel allowances changed from Wednesday 1 July 1998. NSW Public Sector Unions in conjunction with the NSW State Government continue to pursue an appeal against the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO’s) refusal to grant an exemption from […]

MEDIA RELEASE The Benefits of Playing With Fire The future of firefighting services in Shellharbour City received a welcome boost as a result of announcements made by the Minister for Emergency Services, the Hon. Bob Debus MP, at the weekend.

Members would be aware that as part of our country staffing offer to the Department, the six remaining permanently staffed water tankers are proposed to be transferred to retained staffing. Further, 35 Stn. will drop from a minimum of S/O […]

The Union issued notices to members on May 11 and 13, advising that the NZ Fire Service had just informed all of NZ’s 1600 professional firefighters that their jobs would be “disestablished” by July 1 – that is to say, […]

Members would be aware that our Union has been involved in negotiations for several months now in an attempt to achieve increased staffing throughout country NSW. The Union’s State Committee, which has been working on this matter for over two […]

Work related deductions are expenses which you have incurred in the course of performing the duties of your job.

Further to the separate notice titled “Country Staffing Offer” (dated today) which provides a summary of the Special General Meeting’s decision on permanent staffing at an additional 12 country stations (Items 1&2), the following advice concerning the remaining decisions of […]

The Union was recently alerted to the fact that the Department had unilaterally altered long-standing response procedures for Fire Investigation Unit members. It seems that rather than mobilising 95-2 when 95-1 is unable to meet a request to attend an […]

Members are hereby advised that in accordance with Rule 11, a Special General Meeting of members shall be held in two parts to consider the questions set out below. Details of the meeting, which is to be held in two […]

Members at 63 Station Blacktown have informed the Union of a recent incident whereby a Station Officer acted down in order to fill a firefighter’s operational role.

It would appear that many members remain uncertain as to exactly what new roles and responsibilities arising from the 1997 Award have been agreed to by our Union, and therefore, exactly what work should and should not be performed by […]

Members would be aware of the Minister’s previous direction that “the two services should compliment each other, not compete”. However, many RFS Brigades continue to operate CABA, urban pumping appliances and other structural offensive firefighting equipment either within or very […]