MFB deal may be derailed by federal government

A CONTROVERSIAL pay deal for MFB firefighters hangs in the balance as the federal government dramatically intervenes to try to rip up key elements of the agreement.

EXCLUSIVE: A CONTROVERSIAL pay deal for MFB firefighters hangs in the balance as the federal government dramatically intervened to try to rip up key elements of the agreement.

The Herald Sun can reveal the government will argue it discriminates against staff who are women, carers, or who have families, or disabilities, and will also aim to stop the United Firefighters Union from being able to veto MFB managerial decisions.

The federal intervention creates a new political headache for Premier Daniel Andrews. UFU boss Peter Marshall has already threatened to reveal a secret deal with the state government he claims the Premier has broken.

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Peter Marshall has threatened to reveal a secret deal with the state government. Picture: Nicole Garmston

The Herald Sun can also reveal the MFB has told the Fair Work Commission it is “unable to say whether the agreement does include clauses that are discriminatory and/or objectionable”.

“This is a matter for the commission to determine,” it said in its Fair Work filings.

That is understood to have infuriated Mr Marshall, who seized on it in an angry missive to firefighters last week about the MFB’s “anti-union, anti-firefighter culture”.

“Instead of clearly and strongly supporting the agreement, the MFB’s statutory declaration left it open for the Fair Work Commission to arbitrate,” he said.

Federal Workplace Minister Craig Laundy, in a submission to Fair Work yesterday relating to his application for the EBA to be dealt with in a public hearing of a full bench of the commission, indicated he would seek to oppose its approval because it contained “discriminatory and objectionable terms”.

Federal Workplace Minister Craig Laundy says the MFB deal contains “discriminatory and objectionable terms”. Picture: Adam Yip

Government lawyers will argue a ban on part-time work disadvantages women and others. The state government has agreed Victoria’s fire services are a “boys’ club”: only about 4 per cent of firefighters are women.

The federal government is also expected to try to stop any UFU veto of management decisions on matters such as rosters, transfers, duty variations, and on-call arrangements.

The federal action will likely delay approval of the deal for weeks, if not months, pushing the dispute to the fore of the state election campaign.

Victorian Emergency Services Minister James Merlino on Tuesday night accused the Liberals of using “our firefighters as political footballs”.

“Our firefighters deserve the respect and security of a workplace agreement,” he said.

But State Opposition emergency services spokesman Brad Battin welcomed the federal intervention.

“We have fought against the EBA and any terms that create discrimination within our fire services,” he said.

The MFB said it “remains committed to providing our firefighters with an approved agreement as soon as possible”.

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