By PETER DOUGLAS and JESSE GRAHAM
DANDENONG Ranges firefighters are at risk of becoming disenfranchised over an ongoing industrial dispute.
The disagreement boiled over last week with Victorian Emergency Services Minister, Jane Garrett, resigning from cabinet, with the CFA board to be sacked over the dispute.
Monbulk MP and Deputy Premier James Merlino has been announced as Ms Garrett’s replacement, with he and Premier Daniel Andrews also issuing an ultimatum for the CFA board to accept the EBA before 5pm on Friday, 10 June, but a Supreme Court injunction to postpone the signing was granted until Wednesday, 22 June.
The disagreement centres on an enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA), which is being disputed by the United Firefighters Union (UFU), the Victorian Government and the CFA.
Criticism has been directed at aspects of the agreement, including a ‘seven on the fire ground’ clause that would require seven paid firefighters to be dispatched to a fire before work could begin.
This clause would only come into effect with integrated station (paid and volunteer firefighters).
Although this clause is not relevant for most Dandenong Ranges stations, the level of discontent is widespread.
Meanwhile, much confusion was present as the events unfolded last week, with Member for Eastern Victorian Region, Ed O’Donohue, tweeting about mass resignations.
The tweet read: “I’m advised by a senior CFA vol(unteer) that a Monbulk brigade has received 12 resignations tonight”.
He then took aim at Mr Merlino.
“You are a disgrace,” he wrote.
Further reports have suggested the claim of 12 resignations was not correct.
However, some news outlets have reported CFA members in the Dandenong Ranges are threatening resignation if the EBA goes ahead.
Many CFA members in the region are either unable or unwilling to talk on the issue, citing the apolitical nature of the CFA.
Though Olinda CFA Captain Phil Skiller did say the resignation of Ms Garrett would come as a huge blow.
“We’re disappointed to hear the Minister has gone, we were very much behind what she believed in and we supported her,” he said.
“We’re hopeful that we’ll be able to work well with Mr Merlino.”
Gembrook MP, Brad Battin, also criticised the Victorian Government, claiming it was part of a payback deal to “the union mates who got him elected in 2014”.
“The deal would allow the UFU to have veto over CFA management decisions, just as it does over the MFB,” he said.
“The decision could trigger massive changes in the CFA as we know it, including the resignation of thousands of volunteers.
“Volunteers have every right to be angry at this blatant disregard for the CFA’s proud history in our rural and regional communities.”
A media release from the UFU on 7 June said the agreement would only cover 31 integrated stations, where paid staff is based, out of the state’s 1200 fire stations.
The government also announced that 350 new paid firefighters would be brought into integrated stations to roll-out the ‘seven on the fire-ground’ model.
The letter stated that volunteers would still be able to be incident controllers at fire-grounds or emergencies, one of the points of contention for volunteer firefighters.
