Alice Springs firefighters asked to sign up to triple-shifts amid staffing crisis

A leaked email shows firefighters have been asked to work up to triple back-to-back shifts to meet critical staffing shortages.

Alice Springs firefighters are being “emotionally blackmailed” into working up to 36 hours straight as critical staffing shortages allegedly lead to violations of work health safety protections.

In an email obtained by this publication, Alice Springs firefighters were asked if they were willing to remain on duty for more than 24 hours following a request from the Deputy Chief Fire Officer Stephen Sewell.

In the email sent on May 19, the senior station officer asked for willing fireys to provide their “fitness for duty”, and list all activities they had been involved in in their previous back-to-back 12 hour shifts.

Alice Springs firefighters were asked on May 19, 2023 if they were willing to remain on duty for more than 24 hours following a request from the NT Deputy Chief Fire Officer Stephen Sewell.

It is understood this violates the current Enterprise Bargaining Agreement, which states: “No employee will be permitted to work more than two consecutive shifts except in the case of a fire, natural disaster or other emergency incident”.

NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services declined to provide a comment when approached — the second time in two days where they have not provided a response in relation to the fireys.

An Alice Springs firefighter, who asked not to be named, said the three-shift call-out was a response to crippling understaffing levels, with workers “emotionally blackmailed” into the dangerous shifts.

An email reportedly on behalf of NT Deputy Chief Fire Officer Stephen Sewell asked Alice Springs firefighters to work shifts in excess of 24 hours. Picture: Amanda Parkinson

He said fireys just coming off back-to-back 12 hour shifts were left to choose between leaving Alice Springs unprotected or agreeing to an extra shift.

“At the end of the day firefighters can say no to it … but you have to understand that we sign up to serve the community,” he said.

“A lot of people feel obligated to work beyond those 24 hours in order to provide that service to the community.”

The Alice Springs man said when workers refused they were told by management “It’s your fault we’re going understaffed”.

He said these triple-shifts had become the norm in the major Territory station over the past year due to staffing shortfalls.

Firefighters have written slogans on their trucks calling on the NT government to step up in their pay negotiation with the United Workers Union. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

He said in the 12 months to May this year, Alice Springs Station had lost 10 staff and “in that time they’ve only sent us seven firefighters to replace them”.

“The service is just constantly falling behind,” he said.

It comes a month after Estimates were told firefighters had logged up to 51,000 hours in overtime this financial year, worth $4.9m.

Chief Fire Officer Mark Spain also told the parliamentary inquiry there were up to four positions still vacant in Alice Springs.

Chief Fire Officer Mark Spain also told the parliamentary inquiry that there were up to four positions still vacant in Alice Springs. Picture: Annabel Bowles

The Alice Springs firefighter said the station had a six-person minimum staffing requirement, but with just 26 fighters split over four shifts any leave requests would scramble the rosters.

He said in a single four day period, there were 10 Alice Springs firefighters who worked more than 24 hours straight.

Given the physically demanding, high-stress and potentially life-and-death scenarios they were facing, the firefighter said working up to 36 hours straight posed a serious work health and safety risk.

“Triple shifts are really not safe at all,” he said.

Firefighters have written slogans on their trucks calling on the NT government to step up in their pay negotiation with the United Workers Union. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

As part of protracted Enterprise Bargaining Agreement negotiations the United Workers Union has proposed safe staffing agreements for fire stations.

The Alice Springs firefighter said this would increase the minimum requirements from six to eight — meaning two full crews for the Territory’s second largest town.

But he said this would require more recruits assigned to the town.

In Estimates, Fires Minister Worden acknowledged while there was funding for 28 new recruits over the next financial year, it “might be difficult to recruit that number of firefighters within the period of time”.

On Wednesday, Ms Worden did not respond to questions about the triple shifts, alleged violations of the work health safety protections, understaffing or rostering.

Instead - more than 970 days into a pay stand-off between the UWU NT and the government - Ms Worden said signing off on the new enterprise bargaining agreement was “a priority of this government”.

“There are more meetings scheduled in the next few days to keep the process moving.”