Support grows for firefighters' pay campaign

By Tully Bates MELBOURNE — The United Firefighters Union (UFU) pay campaign has escalated, almost 20 unions having agreed to impose bans on the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB). Unions covering local government, ambulance officers, Telstra, Australia Post, construction workers and public servants agreed to display banners supporting the firefighters on vehicles and buildings throughout Victoria, with trains and buses expected to follow suit. The CFMEU has placed indefinite bans on construction and maintenance work on CFA-MFB buildings. Trades Hall called an emergency services rally on January 24. This was supported by 1500 workers from many unions, including the State Public Sector Federation (SPSF), the Ambulance Employees Association (AEA), Australian Nurses Federation and the UFU. The unions represent ambulance officers, police staff, prison personnel and firefighters. One member and an official spoke from each area before the meeting voted to accept a resolution. Each of the sectors is facing a similar situation, with massive, primarily staff, cuts and a government refusal to adequately fund wage increases, placing emergency services under more pressure to cut staff. The AEA has recently won a 10% pay rise, but is dealing with massive staff cuts. Rod Morris, AEA state secretary, said the pay rise was won because the workers stayed united in the face of the premier's attacks. However, he said that the union had not yet won on the staffing question. The significant number of ambulance officers at the meeting, even though they had already won their pay rise, gave an indication of the solidarity among emergency service workers. AEA member Gordon Bowman said that the only reason the service in his region still functions is because workers operate on permanent over-time and accept recalls on their day off. He said most city ambulance officers are going without their meal break. He cited two situations where the ambulance helicopter was needed for rescue, but its use was denied by management on the basis that it would cost too much. Andrew Barrett from the MFB in Oakleigh said that the staff cuts mean that it is faster to get a pizza delivered than to get an ambulance. He said that the state government's proposal that firefighters become the "first responder" at the scene of an accident is simply cover for the cuts to ambulance services. "They want us to be de facto ambulance officers. We don't want to be used as a stopgap for an inadequate service." Peter Marshall, UFU state secretary, told the meeting that in the last four and a half years the MFB has made savings of $40 million and the CFA has saved $27 million through productivity gains — a 20% staff cut — yet firefighters haven't had a pay rise since 1991. MFB management has received over 60% in pay increases. Like the ambulance service, the fire brigade is able to operate only because of staff doing permanent overtime. Prison officers haven't had a pay rise since 1987. They are also demanding a 10% increase, using the rises won by both the AEA and the Health Services Union as a benchmark. The government has offered 4% if they sign individual contracts, agree to a two-year wage freeze and accept any productivity improvements recommended by their employer. Karen Batt, SPSF state secretary, said, "Money saved from the job cuts won't be put into services, but will be put into a tax cut for business." Peter Marshall captured the mood of the meeting when he said, "All emergency services are at crisis point. The campaign we're waging is about more than the firefighters. This is for community survival." The rally marched to Parliament House where Steve Bracks, shadow treasury spokesperson, avoided committing the ALP to supporting a pay rise for firefighters. He advocated cooperation and negotiation rather than any sort of confrontation.