Cuts all round

Victoria’s Minister for Emergency Services, the MFB and CFA confirm an approximately $41 million cut to the CFA’s budget and $25 million cut to the MFB’s. More cuts are to follow down the track. The week’s news September 7, 2012 Links to selected firefighter workplace, industrial, technology and OHS news stories. Australia Vic: Minister confirms significant budget …

Hobart fire ruling

The week’s news August  31, 2012 Links to selected firefighter workplace, industrial, technology and OHS news stories. Australia Tas: Myer loses legal action over Hobart fire Legal action by Myer against the Tasmania Fire Commission over the blaze that destroyed the retail giant’s Hobart store has been thrown into doubt following a court decision. Justice Alan Blow …

CFA ordered to vary schedule

In Victoria, a Fair Work Australia decision is a significant milestone in the battle against the CFA’s continued reneging on agreements and attack on the CFA UFU Operational Staff Agreement. The week’s news August  24, 2012 Links to selected firefighter workplace, industrial, technology and OHS news stories. Australia Vic: CFA ordered to vary staffing schedule Fair …

This week’s news: August 17 2012

Links to selected firefighter workplace, industrial, technology and OHS news stories. Australia Qld: Union flags fears of station closures The UFU is worried that fire stations will be closed due to state bovernment budget cuts. Qld emergency workers launch campaign. ACT: We will protect you Response times are critical to saving lives, but apparently firefighters must leave our response areas …

This week’s news: August 10 2012

Australia National: UFUA status as the federal union for firefighters preserved Federal regulations have now been passed which match a number of state based firefighter unions with the UFUA as the federal counterpart. This enshrines the UFUA as the organisation that will represent the interests of firefighters in the federal industrial arena. Litigation has now been withdrawn. …

This week’s news: August 3 2012

Australia NSW: Firefighters head to IRC The Union is due to meet with NSW Emergency Services Minister Michael Gallacher in a last ditch effort to avoid a dispute about overtime blowouts heading back to the industrial umpire. NSW firefighters to head to Commission. Vic: Victorian towns still at risk of bushfire Dozens of communities at high risk of …

This week’s news: July 27th

Australia Vic: Firefighters unite over cancer risk laws The UFUA, former CFA chief Brian Potter (who is seriously ill after years of service at the authority’s Fiskville training ground) and Volunteers Fire Brigades Victoria have written to all state MPs and are seeking a meeting with Emergency Services Minister Peter Ryan. Firefighters call for cancer compensation. …

National Bulletin: Protection for Firefighters

The CFA investigation into the historic practices of live fire training at Fiskville condemns previous practice and confirms that firefighters were subject to horrendous exposures of carcinogens and toxins over a long period of time. Click here to read the bulletin (or right-click/Cmd-click to save to your computer: PDF download).

This week’s news: Toxic soup swim

Australia Vic: CFA recruits had to swim through contaminated dams United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall said it demonstrated the CFA did not want to be subjected to public scrutiny and “it has been shown they gave false assurances to the public and employees about the quality of the water”. Vic: Fiskville gag claims The Union says …

This week’s news: July 6

Australia Vic: CFA knew of potentially deadly water contamination The CFA was aware of the potential hazard at its main training college for at least 12 years but did nothing to warn firefighters. Fiskville water: MFB firefighters defer water-based parts of their training course at Fiskville as CFA claim training site water is acceptable. Highly-toxic CFA training ground Fiskville should …

CFA Cancer Cluster report

Australia Vic: CFA cancer cluster report arrives early A long-awaited report into a cancer cluster among Victorian firefighters has been delivered early but those seeking answers will have to wait longer. More firefighters sound alarm on CFA Fiskville training hub. Victoria’s firefighters deserve compensation. Vic: CFA recruits pulled after water scare Water used at the Country Fire …

This week’s news: Firies beat WorkCover cuts

Australia NSW: Firies exempt as WorkCover shake-up passes parliament The Opposition says the legislation means NSW now has the most draconian workers compensation system in Australia. Firefighters strike as compo fight erupts. Firefighters spray O’Farrell. Qld: EB negotiations update – we won’t accept a sub-standard agreement The state government has changed the industrial laws to advantage them during bargaining …

This week’s news: Former CFA officer’s compensation claim rejected

Australia Vic: Former CFA officer’s compensation claim rejected The UFU is shocked a senior officer who blew the whistle on the cancer cluster concerns at at a CFA training facility west of Melbourne, has had his compensation claim rejected. UFU Victorian Secretary Peter Marshall says the CFA failed to make a strong enough case to the insurer, on …

This week’s news: QLD countdown to firecalls only

Australia Qld: Count down to firecalls only With new state industrial laws that target industrial action over EB claims, the Union notifies the QFRS about protected industrial action from August 1. Vic: CFA reneges once again In addition to reneging on 342 extra staff, the CFA is now attempting to roll out and commission specialist appliances without any genuine …