United Firefighters Union pressures Premier Daniel Andrews as Jane Garrett remains defiant

EMERGENCY Services Minister Jane Garrett remains defiant on the controversial CFA pay deal as the United Firefighters Union piles pressure on the government to sign it.

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EMERGENCY Services Minister Jane Garrett remains defiant on the controversial CFA pay deal as the United Firefighters Union piles pressure on the government to sign it.

The Herald Sun understands that even though Ms Garrett reached an agreement with Premier Daniel Andrews to avoid signing the agreement on Monday, she and the CFA are still under significant pressure to support it.

But Ms Garrett is standing firm in her refusal to force the CFA to sign any agreement which hurts volunteers, harms diversity, hands the union veto rights and mandates resources at incidents.

Hundreds of UFU members rallied at parliament as union secretary Peter Marshall urged Mr Andrews to “do the right thing” and sign the deal recommended by the Fair Work Commission.

Mr Andrews acknowledged the CFA’s concerns but believed they could be “fully addressed” by asking Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley to monitor and implement the deal.

“We’re confident that his involvement, that process provides us with a way forward to address each and every one of the concerns raised,” Mr Andrews said.

United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall speaks to the firefighters. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Firefighters at a rally on the steps of Parliament House. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Ms Garrett was tight-lipped but said she’d had “an interesting time” recently.

“I haven’t resigned, and I’m here to make sure we get an outcome that everybody can live with,” she said.

Deputy Premier James Merlino suggested the government was “basically nine-10ths of the way” to reaching an agreement.

“The way forward is the recommendations that have come out of the Fair Work Commission,” Mr Merlino told 3AW.

“The recommendations from the independent umpire are fair and balanced, but there are some outstanding issues that need to be clarified and worked through.”

Premier Daniel Andrews ahead of a caucus meeting.

Jane Garrett arrives for a meeting. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Minister for Women Fiona Richardson stood by Ms Garrett and said there were “outstanding matters that need to be resolved”, including concerns raised by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission that parts of the deal were discriminatory.

Mr Andrews’s  right-hand man, Gavin Jennings, the Special Minister of State, dismissed those ­issues and criticised the CFA board for “locking into positions that may be six months out of date”.

“I encourage them to be better informed, to be better engaged,” Mr Jennings said. He said if the CFA board took a closer look at the proposed deal, then “their concerns will dissipate over time”.

Mr Jennings said the government wanted to secure an agreement this week.

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