UFU urges members to reject generous new workplace agreement in latest bulletin

THE United Firefighters Union has sensationally told members to reject a generous new workplace deal because of how a memo explaining the detail has been worded.

The UFU has recommended members vote no to a new EBA. Picture: David Caird.

THE United Firefighters Union has sensationally told members to reject a generous new workplace deal because of how a memo explaining the detail has been worded.

Firebrand leader of the UFU, Peter Marshall, sent a letter to members saying the “no vote campaign” was occurring because an explanatory memorandum could see the MFB’s chief fire officer get “unfettered total control” over rosters and staffing arrangements.

The MFB board had signed off on the actual enterprise agreement, which had included all of the union’s demands, last month.

UFU TO SUE MFB, GOVERNMENT OVER ‘DECEPTIVE’ EBA

FIREFIGHTERS TO CAMPAIGN FOR PREMIER DURING ELECTION
It was signed off despite ongoing concerns about new consult and agree provisions — also referred to as veto powers — that would be given to the union and which would limit management decisions under the proposed EBA.

Similar issues were raised during the CFA’s EBA dispute, which ran for several years and is still unresolved.

UFU state secretary Peter Marshall. Picture: Mark Stewart

Mr Marshall accused the state government and Metropolitan Fire Brigade of “misleading and deceptive conduct” in drafting a legal document that sits alongside the MFB EBA.

In the notice to members, Mr Marshall said a previous version of the explanatory memorandum had been agreed upon by the union, but a lawyer involved in a case that sought to rewrite the current EBA in 2014 had altered key terms.

MFB PRESIDENT QUITS AFTER CONTROVERSIAL EBA PASSES

THE UFU’S BID TO KEEP SEXISM AND BULLYING REPORT SECRET

Mr Marshall said this “gives a whole different interpretation to what the parties had agreed on”.

A raft of senior MFB officers have quit during the debacle, including former chief fire officers, Peter Rau and Paul Stacchino.

Several members of the MFB board were replaced in an attempt to ram through the deal.
Senior leaders in the CFA have also been rolled or resigned as a result of that workplace dispute.

Emergency Service Minister James Merlino says the agreement was made in “good faith”. Picture: Kylie Else

The MFB told staff in an update sent out today that it had been “working through” the explanatory material with the UFU at the Fair Work Commission.

“The majority of issues have been resolved but some remain outstanding,” the MFB said.

The lingering dispute over workplace relations in Victoria’s fire services has caused disarray within the Andrews Government.

The latest bombshell comes amid growing calls for the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission to release a report into sexism and bullying within the fire services.

The union has attempted to block the report’s release and is appealing a Supreme Court decision that gave the green light to the VEOHRC to make it public.

Emergency Service Minister James Merlino said firefighters deserved “the security and respect of a new workplace agreement”.

“The terms of the EBA agreed to by the MFB board and the union have not changed,” Mr Merlino said.

“The issue currently before the Fair Work Commission merely concerns the explanatory notes.

“I look forward to this issue being resolved and the EBA, as agreed to in good faith, being put to a vote of the workforce.”

Opposition emergency services spokesman Brad Battin attacked the premier for allowing the saga to continue.
“Daniel Andrews moves from crisis to crisis in the fire services and since he said ‘it needed to be fixed, and I fixed it’, the crisis continues,” he said.

Comment has been sought from the UFU.

[e-mail]