Workplace umpire sides with United Firefighters Union against CFA

UPDATE: THE CFA says it is “seriously concerned” about the workplace umpire’s recommendations to end its dispute with the United Firefighters Union.

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THE Country Fire Authority says it is “seriously concerned” about the workplace umpire’s recommendations to end its dispute with the United Firefighters Union.

The CFA board met today to review the recommendations before revealed they would seek further advice “on what they mean for the CFA”.

It comes as Oppositon Leader Matthew Guy branded the workplace umpire’s decision to support the bulk of the union’s claims against the CFA as unfair.

Acting CFA chief executive Joe Buffone said the recommendations were not binding and the CFA wanted to discuss the “operational and financial impacts” with the State Government.

“The Board remains seriously concerned about the implications these recommendations would have on the organisation, how we operate and our culture,” Mr Buffone said.

He said 14 “threshold issues” had been identified which would “significantly impact” on the CFA.

Mr Buffone said that included clauses which provide the union veto powers over CFA management decisions.

Acting Premier James Merlino this morning refuted claims the EBA would give the union veto rights.

Mr Buffone said the CFA was concerned about the diminished powers of the Chief Officer to allocate resources, and the overall negative impact on volunteers.

“The Board is expected to meet again in coming days to consider the advice,” he said.

“CFA is committed to resolving this matter as quickly as possible and is continuing to act in good faith.”

Mr Guy joined CFA volunteers at Warrandyte station this afternoon and said Premier Daniel Andrews had “rocks in his head” for suggesting Fair Work’s recommendations handed down last night were fair.

The Opposition Leader said the CFA did not receive a proper hearing of its case and criticised Fair Work Commisioner Julius Roe for refusing to hear submissions from the state’s 60,000-strong volunteer force about how the union’s proposed changes would affect them.

Mr Guy questioned Mr Roe’s union and Labor party links and said he would raise the issue in Parliament when it resumes next week.

Somerville CFA volunteers rally against the potential surrender of fire services to the UFU. Picture: Alex Coppel.

What they said.

Earlier, Mr Andrews said all Victorians need to respect the “balanced and fair” recommendations of the workplace umpire to resolve the CFA pay dispute.

“This dispute’s gone on for far too long,” Mr Andrews said.

“The government will consider in great detail the findings that the independent umpire have given to us and we’ll look for an outcome that fairly rewards our paid firefighters, our career firefighters and properly respects the volunteers that make our fire services work.”

The Premier, who is in the United States, was asked if the government would back Fair Work’s recommendations when his Cabinet meets next Monday.

He said: “Let’s just wait and see how this unfolds.”

Mr Andrews said Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett was doing “an outstanding job”, even though she was sidelined from the dispute in recent months.

“We need to respect the independent umpire, she does, I do, I hope all Victorians do to find a way through,” Mr Andrews said.

The Fair Work Commission handed the union a victory against the CFA when it released its recommendations.

In a move that has plunged the Andrews Government into crisis, Mr Roe last night released his recommendations to end the three-year pay dispute.

The Premier says the firefighters dispute has “gone on far too long”. Picture: Sarah Matray

He sided with the vast majority of the UFU’s 400-page EBA claim — but the CFA board is poised to reject his recommendations.

In a scathing judgment, which effectively gives the UFU everything it demanded, Mr Roe tore into CFA management but ­denied its volunteers would be affected.

The CFA board believes the proposed deal sells out its 60,000 volunteer firefighters.

In an ominous sign of tension inside the government over its planned cave-in to the union, a senior source raised questions of “the integrity of the process’’.

Earlier, CFA acting chair John Peberdy and Mr Guy went public with concerns about the proceedings at the Fair Work Commission.

“I’m not sure that we feel our case is being listened to as much as we would have hoped,” Mr Peberdy said. “I’d like to see some evidence we’ve got a little bit of ground somewhere and I haven’t seen that.”

Mr Roe said the role of volunteers “is not altered’’ by the proposed deal. He criticised the CFA for changing its position during negotiations.

The commission’s recommendations included:

BACKING the UFU bid for paid firefighters not to fight blazes until there are seven professionals on scene;

BANNING paid firefighters from taking orders from volunteers except during major bushfires;

HANDING the union an ­effective veto power over CFA management decisions — with the creation of a dispute resolution officer.

In a snap poll last night, 1826 Herald Sun readers said Mr Andrews should not support the union’s CFA takeover, while just 134 supported it.

There are fears volunteers could resign en masse if the deal is agreed. “We don’t want to be Daniel Andrews’s sacrificial lambs on the altar of industrial relations,” veteran firefighter Eric Collier said.

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria chief executive Andrew Ford warned the deal would decimate the CFA: “(The recommendations) will mean the progressive dismantling of the CFA as a volunteer and community-based fire service and its relegation to a very expensive union lapdog.”

UFU secretary Peter Marshall said his union was considering the findings and would comment later.

Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett — who had been sidelined from the EBA negotiations — was silent yesterday, cancelling a media event in Ballarat.

Industrial Relations Minister Natalie Hutchins said the government was considering the recommendations and wanted a “reasonable and fair” outcome for all.

CFA spokesman Gerard Scholten said the CFA had “consistently raised serious concerns about the impact of the UFU claims”.

He said the CFA board would consider the recommendations and update its members as soon as possible.

Acting Premier James Merlino said the recommendations were balanced and denied the outcome of the Fair work Commission will cause a crisis for the Government.

Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett was sidelined from the dispute discussions.

“This is about doing all we can to end a long-running dispute,’’ he told ABC Radio.

“This has been a difficult dispute and that’s the reason it was sent to the independent umpire the Fair Work Commissioner.’’

“We wanted it to go ... which is the natural course of things, particularly on long running disputes. There are a range of fair and balanced recommendations that the Commissioner made which we will consider. In my view they are fair and balanced recommendations’’

“The Government will deliver a an agreement that is fair and respectful of all fire fighters.’’

Mr Merlino denied the Commissioner had handed down a veto power for the union to take control of management decisions and he also rallied against suggestions the agreement would alter the volunteer culture of the agency.

Mr Marshall said volunteers would not be affected but admitted he backed Commissioner Roe’s decision to not hear submissions from the Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria.

“It is clear, this does not affect volunteers,’’ he told ABC Radio.

“We are very happy about this for one reason and that is that we urge every volunteer to get a copy of the recommendation of the off the Fair Work Commission website because all the untruths that have been spoken in relation to the end of volunteerism, in relation to volunteers not being able to do their job and being replaced are all dispelled very, very clinically through analysis and negotiation.”

He also said there were only 34 out of 1200 locations which would be affected by the minimum seven paid firefighters dispatched to a fire.

Mr Marshall lashed out at opposition emergency services minister Brad Battin claiming he had politicised the issue of the EBA and said Labor ministers and volunteers also did not understand the intricacies of the ongoing dispute.

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