darinsullivan.blogspot.com: FBEU finishes 3 weeks of special general meetings, medical response and new work banned

All,

Yesterday marked the end of 3 weeks of (and a record number of) Statewide meetings, where 97% of members (perm and retained) voted in favor of banning anymore involvement in Community First Responder, and Medical First Responder, as per below:

1. From the North West Sub Branch (Rule 11(2)) re: Community First Responder

“That, in response to and in acknowledgement of;

the Department’s failure to acknowledge the remunerative value of any new work, in terms of training, responsibilities and workload;
the Department’s failure to properly consult firefighters relating to CFR; and
the Department’s failure to provide firefighters of all ranks with position/job descriptions;

and in recognition of the FBEU’s stance to protect and improve upon the standard of NSW ambulance services and response, we the members of the FBEU ban any further increase in the number of FRNSW stations outside of the existing list of Alstonville, Branxton, Bundeena, Bundanoon, Uralla and Tocumwal that are to perform the CFR role. The scope of the ban is to cover both CFR training and/or CFR response.

The above stations are to still have the full support of the FBEU, in determining remuneration and training levels for CFR, and the FBEU will unreservedly support any of the above stations’ members who decide they no longer wish to participate in the CFR programme, or provide a CFR service.”

Carried

2. From the North West Sub Branch (Rule 11(2)) re: Medical First Responder

‘That, in response to and in acknowledgement of;

· the Department’s failure to acknowledge the remunerative value of any new work, in terms of training, responsibilities and workload;
· the Department’s failure to properly consult firefighters relating to MFR; and
· the Department’s failure to provide firefighters of all ranks with position/job descriptions;

and in recognition of the FBEU’s stance to protect and improve upon the standard of NSW ambulance services and response, we the members of the FBEU hereby ban the MFR role, the scope of the ban is to cover any MFR training and/or MFR response.”

Carried

The meetings also endorsed (99%) to continue opposition of, and campaigning around, Barry O'Farrell's wages policy and IRC attack, and resolved to ban any new work being carried out under the Governments regime.

3. From the State Committee re: New Work Practices

“That this meeting notes:

the O’Farrell Government adoption of a new draconian approach to the determination of Public Sector wages in NSW, proposing legislative changes that will constrain the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, preventing it from awarding pay increases outside of 2.5% pa unless directly funded through employee related cost savings;

that the said legislation will expressly preclude the possibility of any additional payment on the basis of work value; and

that such a position will remove any incentive for NSW public sector workers, including firefighters, to undertake new work, because they will not be able to be remunerated for it;

and that consequently this Special General Meeting of members hereby resolves to impose an immediate ban on the performance by Union members of any new work practice which is not expressly approved by Union’s State Committee, as evidenced by a Union notice to that effect from the State Secretary, and that this ban shall remain in place until such time as the O’Farrell Government rescinds this reactionary policy.”

Carried

The FBEU now has solid positions on these matters, and continues to publicly oppose the O'Farrell laws.

Stay United,