Call for support for firefighters

By Tully Bates MELBOURNE — For the past six months, Victorian members of the United Firefighters Union (UFU) have been negotiating with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) for a pay rise. The firefighters, who have not had a rise for five years despite 280 productivity improvements, demanded a 16% pay increase. MFB offered them 10% over two years, linked to further productivity increases. After holding mass meetings at the beginning of January, members voted to continue their campaign of industrial action. This involves 41 administrative work bans which began in December, including restrictions on computer operations and billing outside organisations for MFB work. Firefighters have also placed anti-Kennett banners on fire trucks, with slogans such as, "Kennett's pay offer burns Firefighters". The new MFB package — a 10% wage rise in four instalments by November 29, 1996 — includes a clause to cut staff by 75. Fifty of these positions are currently vacant. It also included a proposal to use firefighters as first response crews in medical emergencies. The MFB has responded to the industrial action by docking firefighters' pay, standing down 60 firefighters involved in the dispute for the duration of their shifts and threatening to sue union branch committee members. In response the firefighters have threatened nationwide industrial action. The union's national secretary, Mick Doyle, said moves by the MFB to start civil action signalled "the true start of the dispute, not the finish". He said the application mirrored moves against unions in the Weipa dispute last year. "This is all about workers' rights, and that is why the United Firefighters Union with the wider trade union movement will fight this and fight it to the end." In support of the firefighters, the secretary of the Ambulance Employees Association, Rod Morris, said: "If the government uses the threat of court action again, we will put banners on ambulances like you could not believe". The Trades Hall Council has called a rally in support of the firefighters for January 24, 11am, Dallas Brooks Hall.