NT Firefighters union says Mark Spain’s position is untenable as EBA negotiations drag on

NT union firefighters are calling for the Chief Fire Officer to resign, claiming there is a ‘massive divide’ between workers and executive management as tense pay negotiations drag on.

Union firefighters are calling for Chief Fire Officer Mark Spain to resign, claiming an irreparable rift between workers and executive management in the NT Fire and Rescue Service.

It comes amid a tense enterprise bargaining dispute that has seen Mr Spain call the police on his own force for writing on fire trucks during protected industrial action.

Several United Workers Union delegates, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they could not see a way forward through the “massive divide between executives and members on the floor” and that Mr Spain’s position was “untenable” as head of the almost fully unionised department.

As part of the protected action, which began early this year, firefighters have covered their trucks with slogans such as “under staffed, under valued, under funded”, “protecting the community while NT govt protects their pockets”, and “crisis point”.

NT Firefighters have been writing slogans on their firetrucks as part of a protected industrial action during ongoing EBA negotiations. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Spain called the police to Darwin Fire Station on March 8, the day before a ceremony drawing dignitaries to the station was due to take place.

Two senior police officers arrived at the station and threatened criminal charges unless the slogans were washed off.

Mr Spain later defended his actions on Mix 104.9, arguing the writing may have caused criminal damage to the $1.1m firetrucks, and some of the slogans had been written in permanent marker.

The union delegates called this an “outright lie”, saying only non-permanent markers had been used.

“We don’t want to damage our trucks either, we’ve got pride in our fleet, we don’t want to be doing this,” they said.

Union firefighters are calling for NT Fire and Rescue Chief Fire Officer Mark Spain to step down. Picture: Floss Adams.

The union said there was no attempt at internal resolution before the police were called.

Some damage to the gel coating of a Palmerston station fire truck was discovered after the police visited the Darwin station, they said, due to an unknown person using harsh solvent to remove slogans.

No damage has been found to any Darwin fire station trucks.

Paramedics, police and firefighters are not allowed to strike or impose work bans for public safety reasons, and writing slogans on work vehicles is a tactic that has been used across Australia.

An Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment spokesman confirmed approval for the UWU Territory firefighters action included displaying non-permanent campaign messages on Fire and Rescue Service appliances.

“OCPE and Northern Territory Government respects the union members’ right to take protected industrial action, which are a valid part of negotiations,” the spokesman said.

“NT Fire and Rescue Service and OCPE will continue to work with the unions in good faith and ensure discussions remain open with the union.”

NT Firefighters have been writing slogans on their firetrucks as part of a protected industrial action during ongoing EBA negotiations. Picture: Supplied.

NT Firefighters have been writing slogans on their firetrucks as part of a protected industrial action during ongoing EBA negotiations. Picture: Supplied.

Firefighters pay dispute drags on

The union has been locked in a stand-off with Fire and Rescue management over pay and conditions since their last EBA expired in November 2021, with no end in sight.

The attack on Mr Spain is not the first time they have come out strongly against leadership, having called for Jamie Chalker to be sacked in June last year after the soon-to-be-former Police Commissioner told recruits Territory firefighters were “greedy”.

At least a 6 per cent pay rise is one of the union’s key demands, but the delegates said “it’s not just about the money”.

“We’ve been misrepresented by our Chief, we’re not getting our story out there and now we have to go and write stuff on the truck to get our story out there, because our Chief and our executive are selling us out and selling the wrong story and not fixing problems,” they said.

“Lack of consistency, lack of trust, no integrity, lying to the public … there is a divide and it’s not healthy because we can’t solve problems.

“There’s no change, there’s no solutions to long standing problems, there’s no improvement in capability, there’s no improvement in firefighter safety – it’s Groundhog Day, every single day.”

Firefighter union delegates say major health and safety risks have not been addressed by executive management. Picture: Bushfires NT.

Union delegates argued health and safety issues were made worse by chronic staffing shortages, threatening firefighters lives and leaving Territory communities vulnerable.

“We’re basically the only urban fire service in the world that operates in these conditions, and we have no heat policy.”

“You just go ‘til you drop, effectively.”

They estimated six firefighters had been hospitalised over the past year from heat stress, and it was “lucky” there had not been more serious injuries.

“That’s not to mention the dozens going back to the station and living with a massive headache, not being able to quench their thirst, fighting through and staying there because they know there’s nobody to replace them.”

A massive blaze at a Berrimah medical supplies warehouse in August last year saw 14 firefighters respond with a tanker – a type of truck less suited to urban firefighting than a regular firetruck.

“A job like that interstate would have 80 people show up. Those firefighters just had to pretty much stay there all day, and it was so hot that day,” the union said.

Firefighters worked for hours in the heat to tackle a massive blaze in Berrimah last August. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Full workers compensation for fireys diagnosed with cancers linked to the job is another demand being pushed by the union.

Currently firefighters diagnosed with presumptive cancers are cut back to 75 per cent of their salaries after six months, with union members creating a kitty out of their own pay to support colleagues undergoing treatment.

When Mr Spain was approached for comment an NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson said he was on approved leave returning May 3.

“The Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service will not be making any comment regarding current enterprise agreement negotiations or protected industrial action at this time,” they said.

Originally published as NT Firefighters union says Mark Spain’s position is untenable as EBA negotiations drag on