VICTORIAN Premier, Daniel Andrews faces a revolt from tens of thousands of Country Fire Authority volunteers over a Fair Work Commission decision in favour of the firefighters’ union.
Government acceptance of the decision will outrage country residents who have been served by highly-trained volunteers through some of this State’s worst fire tragedies.
Nationals leader, Peter Walsh is lobbying the Government to stand down from claims that it will accept United Firefighters Union demands to take over the management of the CFA.
Mr Walsh, the Member for Murray Plains, is urging his constituents to sign an online petition to show their support for the CFA.
Fair Work Commissioner, Julius Roe has handed down non-binding recommendations supporting the UFU’s demands for more control over both professional and volunteer fire brigades.
If approved by the government, the UFU and the CFA, the decision would give the union power of veto over the CFA, which consists of 60,000 volunteers throughout Victoria.
Recommendations handed down by Commissioner Roe include backing the union’s bid for no firefighting efforts to occur until there are seven professionals on scene. This would apply at 35 fire stations where there are a mix of career and volunteer firefighters.
The UFU deal would also ban paid firefighters from taking orders from volunteers except during major bushfires.
“The strength of the CFA is in its volunteers,” Mr Walsh said.
“Volunteers willingly sacrifice their time, without hesitation, to be at the front-line of protecting country communities from the devastating effects of bushfire.
“It is horrifying to see Premier Daniel Andrews’ bureaucrats urging support for demands that would sell out 60,000 volunteers to his union mates.”
Mr Walsh has created a petition for citizens to signify their support for the CFA.
“Daniel Andrews must stop this deal before it decimates Australia’s largest volunteer organisation,” he said.
