United Firefighters’ Union calls on Andrews Government, CFA to bankroll its operations

UPDATE: THE United Firefighter Union’s request for public funding has been slapped down as “extremely unusual” by the State Government.

UFU boss Peter Marshall has begun the new year by calling on the government and the Country Fire Authority to use millions of taxpayers’ dollars to bankroll the union’s operations. Picture: Robert Leeson

THE United Firefighter Union’s request for public funding has been slapped down as “extremely unusual” by the State Government.

Acting Premier James Merlino said this morning that it was up to the CFA to respond to UFU boss Peter Marshall’s demand for $1.6 million in annual funding.

“I would say that a statutory authority to provide funding would be extremely unusual and I wouldn’t expect that to be the case,” Mr Merlino said.

The Herald Sun understands the CFA will not entertain the request.

Mr Merlino said he understood the frustrations of career firefighters and respected their right to protest, with a march on Parliament planned for January 19.

But Mr Merlino batted away questions about Mr Marshall’s disappointment with the State Government, instead blaming the Federal Government’s intervention in the CFA dispute as the reason it had not been resolved.

The Herald Sun revealed today the United Firefighters Union is on the warpath after demanding that Premier Daniel Andrews repay firefighters for helping him sweep to power at the last state election.

Mr Marshall begun the new year by calling on the government and the Country Fire Authority to use millions of taxpayers’ dollars to bankroll the union’s operations.

In an extraordinary move, he accused Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria of acting like an “industrial organisation” and said his union deserved the same level of public funding — which he claims is about $1.6 million a year.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Jason Edwards

The Herald Sun also revealed Mr Marshall is rallying his members to march on Parliament House, to pressure the government to end more than three years’ bitter negotiations on new Metropolitan Fire Brigade and CFA workplace agreements.

The dispute has haunted the Andrews Government, which sacked the CFA board and forced out its chief executive and chief fire officer.

Emergency services minister Jane Garrett also lost her post after Mr Andrews sided with the UFU.

In a bulletin to members this week, Mr Marshall said he was “extremely disappointed” with the Victorian Government because “pre-election and post-election commitments have not been delivered”.

“We are extremely disappointed with the Andrews Government given the time and effort given by off-duty firefighters in assisting in the last state election campaign,’’ he said.

“The UFU advocated strongly for the Andrews Government in the lead-up to the 2014 election.”

“We believed it would be a government that acknowledged and respected the sacrifices career professional fire­fighters make in protecting the public,” Mr Marshall wrote.

UFU boss Peter Marshall. Picture: Hamish Blair

He also wrote to CFA chairman Greg Smith before Christmas demanding public funding for the UFU, although career firefighters pay dues to cover the union’s operations.

“We see no reason why the UFU should be discriminated against … by not receiving the same resources and funding allocated to the VFBV,” he said.

The Herald Sun understands the CFA will not entertain the request.

A VFBV spokesman said its funding was used to support volunteers in the face of “repeated attempts” by the UFU to “take over the volunteer base of the CFA”.

“We are nothing like an industrial organisation. We … protect and advance the cap­acity of volunteers who don’t get paid,” he said.

Opposition emergency services spokesman Brad Battin said the request was outrageous, and called on the government to pull the UFU into line.

“The UFU knows it can demand anything it wants from this divisive Premier and get away with it,” he said. “Enough is enough. Daniel Andrews needs to finally stand up to the United Firefighters Union.”

Contacted by the Herald Sun, Mr Marshall said changes to the Fair Work Act had had “unintended consequences” and gave volunteer organisations an industrial role.

MFB chief executive Jim Higgins said the MFB wanted to reach a deal “as soon as possible” to deliver “increased benefits for our firefighters and to secure improvements to … community safety outcomes”.

MFB and CFA career firefighters got a 6.5 per cent pay rise last year, on top of a 5 per cent pay increase the year before, as a “show of good faith”.

Emergency Services Minister James Merlino said: “The UFU’s request for funding was made to the CFA, who will respond as is appropriate.”

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