United Firefighters Union ad campaign against CFA volunteers planned

An expensive, new advertising campaign is set to reignite tensions between paid and CFA volunteer firefighters, with claims it aims to “tear down” state services.

A new United Firefighters Union ad is set to take aim at Victoria’s volunteer services. Picture: NCA NewsWire

The United Firefighters Union is set to launch an ­advertising campaign aimed at “tearing down” the state’s volunteer services.

The Sunday Herald Sun ­understands the advertisement, which is expected to run in the coming week, will highlight the capabilities and skill sets of professional firefighters.

Sources claim it will drive the message that suburbs and towns crewed by volunteer firefighters are not as well protected as areas with paid Fire Rescue Victoria firefighters.

Internal communications sent to all members, seen by the Sunday Herald Sun, stated: “This initiative will build upon the initiatives and potential of Fire Services Reform as well as create awareness in the community of the skill set of FRV firefighters and FRV’s area of response.”

It is said to have cost $165,000 to create and will ­appear on television, radio and social media.

A current FRV firefighter and UFU member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “I just can’t understand why my very expensive union membership fees are being used to produce and run TV commercials telling the community FRV firefighters chose firefighting as a profession.”

They added: “I have never had a community member I have been helping question if I was a volunteer or if firefighting was my profession.”

The firefighter said they were unsure what prompted the campaign, adding they’d never experienced any “issue” since FRV launched on July 1 last year.

FRV’s establishment saw career Country Fire Authority firefighters merge with the now non-existent Metropolitan Fire Brigade. It was initially feared the model would turn the CFA into a “second-class service”, prompting volunteers to leave the organisation.

The firefighter added: “If there is an issue with the community not recognising FRV as their new fire service in urbanised areas, why doesn’t the organisation or state government run an awareness campaign? It just doesn’t make sense to use my already expensive union fees to produce and run an expensive advertising ­campaign.”

FRV refused to comment, except to state: “Matters in ­relation to the UFU should be ­directed to the UFU.”

The UFU did not respond to repeated requests for ­comment.

Liberal Gembrook MP Brad Battin said there was no justification for the union to run a statewide “scare campaign”.

“We are very lucky to have thousands of professional volunteers who give up their time to protect us,” Mr Battin said.

“These volunteers are supported by career firefighters and this combination should give us the response we need when we need it. I urge Daniel Andrews to join the Liberal Nationals in urging his union mates to not continue on the path to disrespect the CFA.”

A CFA spokeswoman said the organisation had more than 29,000 frontline firefighters who provided a “world-class” emergency response.

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Originally published as United Firefighters Union ad campaign against CFA volunteers planned