Former union allies target Daniel Andrews in election ambush

The firefighters’ union is demanding a 25 per cent pay rise, in what’s shaping as a major headache for for the Andrews Government.

UFU boss Peter Marshall has revealed he wants a whopping 8.6 per cent yearly pay rise for firefighters under a new wage deal, amounting to a 25 per cent increase from 2022 to 2025.

The controversial figure denied the massive request was an ambitious claim but also acknowledged that some people would call it outrageous.

Mr Marshall on Thursday briefed the media about the UFU’s demands for a new pay deal, the first since paid firefighters were merged from the CFA and MFB into a new body called Fire Rescue Victoria.

Industrial negotiations with the union have created headaches for the Andrews Government in the past, with bitter disputes engulfing deals for the CFA and MFB done in 2016 and 2019.

The 2016 feud became so bad that then emergency service minister, the late Jane Garrett, quit Cabinet while board members at both organisations left over the ongoing saga.

Mr Marshall defended the UFU’s new demands because of high inflation across the country.

He said the union had commissioned research from a University of Newcastle academic to justify its working.

Peter Marshall wants an 8.6 per cent yearly pay rise for firefighters. Picture AAP

The union says it will campaign against Mr Andrews in some key seats. Picture: Getty

“It would be outrageous if it was well above the consumer price index. It’s not,” he said.

“Our claim is based on extensive research from an economist.

“There is (also) 1.5 per cent in there for productivity.”

Mr Marshall said the state government’s 2.5 per cent cap on public sector wages was “rubbish” and said the Prime Minister, premier and MPs also enjoyed generous wage increases over the past two years.

“Politicians, do as I say not as I do,” he said.

“We’re happy to have what they’ve got.”

They also want trench rescue equipment supplied to parts of regional Victoria who do not have the capability and have argued booming population growth outside Melbourne has added to their demands.

Other key areas of the enterprise agreement include a plan for merging the benefits of CFA and MFB firefighters and hiring more diversity officers to bring a wider section of the population into the industry.

When asked about the fact the union will campaign against Labor in key election seats, Mr Marshall said he had always had a good relationship with the premier but stood by his decision.

“At the end of the day it’s his government and some of his ministers and his caucus, they have behaved very badly,” he said.

“The buck stops with me with the union, the buck will stop with the premier.

“I have to step out of my own biases, if you like, and it’s more about my members.”

Dan responds to ex-union allies’ fiery demands

The Andrews government’s stoush with the militant firefighters union is set to heat up ahead of the election, with firefighters now demanding a pay rise as part of a new enterprise bargaining campaign.

In response to the demands, the Premier said there were “a number of outstanding issues” the government was working through.

“Well, there’s an enterprise bargaining process and I don’t know whether that’s something to do with this or not, but there’s an enterprise bargaining process and we bargain in good faith,” Mr Andrews said.

“And there’s a number of outstanding issues and we’ll work through those in good faith as we always do, to get a fair and balanced outcome to properly rewards our firefighters for their bravery, for their skill, for their fundamental commitment.

“Moreover, that’s what enterprise bargaining is all about.”

Mr Andrews said there needed to be enough money left in the budget to continue recruiting firefighters.

“I have nothing but respect for our firefighters, both volunteer and certainly career firefighters, who we directly employ.”

It comes as the Herald Sun revealed the United Firefighters Union — one of Premier Daniel ­Andrews’ staunchest supporters during his 2014 election win — would campaign against the government in 14 battleground seats.

He said the UFU’s decision to campaign against Labor at the state election was “entirely a matter for them”.

“We take nothing for granted,” Mr Andrews said.

“Elections are close to a handful of votes and a handful of seats, that’s who determines who governs the state.”

The UFU supported Andrews during the 2014 state election. Picture: Hamish Blair

More than $1m will be spent by the United Firefighters’ Union to man polling booths, doorknock voters and put out ­advertisements attacking the state government’s response to its demands.

UFU boss Peter Marshall has accused candidates who do not back his union’s key issues of not representing Labor ­values.

The campaign is a significant shift for the controversial leader, who has estimated that in 2014 there was a 4.5 per cent swing to Labor in seats where firefighters campaigned for it.

The UFU announced the fight for more pay in a press release on Thursday.

“The firefighters enterprise bargaining agreement claim will be calling on the Andrews Government to deliver real wage increases which directly help firefighters and their families keep up with spiralling inflation and effectively address wage stagnation,” Mr Marshall said.

“At a time when professional firefighters’ roles are becoming increasingly complex, our firefighters don’t deserve a pay cut.

“Our wage claims are underpinned by academic research which takes into account rising inflation and the cost of living now and over the next three years. This will ensure that firefighters don’t go backwards in real terms.”

Mr Marshall said he would also be demanding an urgent upgrade to outdated fire trucks, funding for specialist equipment better firefighter training.

“Firefighter safety and public safety go hand-in-hand. The new Enterprise Agreement will achieve both,” he said.

“Right now, we have 15 outdated trucks that are still being used for emergency response and need to be replaced. But the Andrews Government rejected a request in late 2021 from Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) for 20 new rescue pumper trucks.

“As part of this Enterprise Agreement, we’ll be calling the Andrews government to urgently deliver proper funding and resourcing for this critical equipment and training, to ensure that we can protect the lives and safety of Victorians.

“The United Firefighters Union is bargaining for firefighter safety and public safety.”

The union’s relationship with the government has since deteriorated over disputes involving a reorganisation of firefighting across the state, presumptive cancer rights and ageing resources in regional Victoria.

In response, the UFU will target Labor-held electorates encouraging people to vote for alternative candidates “who support firefighters”.

Peter Marshall’s United Firefighters Union is expected to spend more than $1m on the campaign.

It is believed to be the union’s largest investment in a state election campaign.

The union recently advertised for a team of field organisers to “deliver an overall campaign strategy to influence voters”.

How-to-vote cards will be handed out and candidates ranked according to how ­supportive they are of the union’s demands.

Upper house regions on the agenda are Western Metro, Northern Metro and Northern Victoria. But the union is looking to spark bigger upsets in lower house electorates such as Melton, Werribee, Richmond and Northcote, where Labor is facing a difficult battle.

In the east, Ashwood, Box Hill and Ringwood are in the firing line. Outside Melbourne, Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan could be targeted in Bendigo East. Thomastown MP Bronwyn Halfpenny and Tarneit candidate Dylan Wight are also expected to be subject to heavy UFU campaigning.

“We don’t believe a lot of those candidates … represent Labor values,” Mr Marshall said. “We’ve decided to invest our political capital in people who represent the interests of firefighters rather than blind affiliations with ALP factions.”

Under laws passed in 2018, if a firefighter is diagnosed with certain types of cancer, they do not have to prove it was caused by their career to make a valid compensation claim.

The state this year expanded coverage to include mechanics attending fire scenes, prompting a backlash from the UFU, which claimed it would risk the sustainability of the scheme.

The Premier’s relationship with the UFU has been on shaky ground. Picture: Alex Coppel

The government argues these workers should have the same rights as firefighters.

The feud created a split within the Premier’s own Socialist Left faction, which booted the union boss from the group.

Mr Marshall said the seats in the firing line were chosen because they were marginal. He said he did not believe the election would be lost by his campaign, but claimed there were parallels with the 1999 election when the Kennett government lost office.

“I see similarities between the arrogance of some ALP members and that of the Liberal government at that time,” he said.

Mr Marshall played a critical role in the Andrews government’s 2014 election win before his demands for big pay deals and a merger of paid firefighters in the CFA and MFB – a saga that engulfed the state.

The late Jane Garrett resigned as emergency services minister over that dispute, with Mr Marshall also clashing with MFB board members.

Kos Samaras, director of bipartisan polling firm RedBridge, said the potential impact of the campaign was unclear. “The UFU is missing the key weapon used during the 2014 state election: a clear narrative of a wrong done to firefighters,” he said.

“This time, the UFU has to convince voters that the government’s plan to extend insurance to others who work with firefighters is a bad idea.”

Originally published as Former union allies target Daniel Andrews in election ambush