Confusion reigns over the state of the Country Fire Authority following long-running negotiations between the state government and the United Firefighters Union on the union’s proposed new enterprise bargaining agreement.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Recent media reports have claimed that the proposed EBA would allow the UFU to veto CFA board management decisions, effectively handing control of the organisation to the union, which could lead to the total resignation of the CFA board or agreeing to the deal to the detriment of more than 50,000 volunteers.
Ballan firefighter Shane Cramer, a state councillor with Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria, said there is a lack of understanding at volunteer level as to where EBA talks stand.
“We don't really know about what's going on there,” Mr Cramer said.
“At the lower level in the organisation, that's absolutely correct (there is a level of confusion on the implications of the union takeover push).”
Central to the issue is the increase in the number of paid firefighters that could threaten the CFA’s culture of volunteerism.
When asked if volunteers were important to the CFA in the long term, Mr Cramer said “yes and no”.
“The CFA as an entire organisation has some issues to do with volunteers,” he said.
“Volunteering is probably not growing across the board, but once you move away out of big metro centres and into regional towns, how are we going to manage this into the future?
“I volunteer at Greendale and the nearest paid firefighters are at Melton and Ballarat.”
A statement from the United Firefighters Union said it “totally rejects” reports in the media regarding implications of the takeover push.
However, union officials did not seek to provide any clarity on “misleading media reports” when contacted by The Courier on Wednesday.
“The UFU totally rejects misleading media reports that are causing unnecessary concern in the community, particularly for Victoria’s volunteer firefighter,” the statement read.
“The UFU is committed to trying to resolve its workplace agreements in the proper forum - the Fair Work Commission.
“We will not be commenting, or backgrounding media, while we try to resolve this in the appropriate way.”
Meanwhile, Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell has launched a petition to support CFA volunteers across Victoria, including Ballarat and surrounding areas, against what she says is “a power grab” by paid firefighters.
Mrs Britnell said the union was undertaking “a power grab” by wanting “the right of veto” over changes to paid firefighters’ conditions.
