United Firefighters Union locks in 12-month pay rise for its members
Victoria’s firefighters have been handed a 2.5 per cent pay rise, with an interim agreement delaying negotiations for a new industrial deal for 12 months.
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Victoria’s firefighters have been handed a 2.5 per cent pay rise, delaying a fight over a new industrial agreement until next year.
The Herald Sun can reveal a deal was struck on Friday, which rolls over existing agreements for all MFB and CFA career firefighters for 12 months.
Under the state government’s wages policy, annual increases are capped at 2 per cent, but unions have been able to take a 2.5 per cent interim increase and delay bargaining by a year.
United Firefighters Union members were sent a bulletin this afternoon which described the agreement as a “positive development” and a “show of good faith” from the Andrews Government.
The pay rise will be backdated to January 1 and also applies to all allowances.
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It means the government will be able to avoid what insiders expect to be a difficult bargaining process with the UFU until after the creation of Fire Rescue Victoria on July 1.
The new agency will employ all MFB and CFA career firefighters, with the CFA becoming a volunteer-only organisation.
Industrial agreements have been at the centre of disputes which have raged in the state’s fire services for more than five years.