The Union representing the nation’s 11,000 professional firefighters has issued an unprecedented call for nationally consistent firefighting as the climate crisis extends and intensifies the fire season.

The United Firefighters Union of Australia passed a unanimous resolution at its national council in Canberra demanding a national approach that would allow firefighting to operate seamlessly across borders, improving the compatibility and capacity of different state and territory services, and boosting the number of professional firefighters.

The resolution also calls for the urgent phase-out of coal, oil and gas, warning they are driving more dangerous and intense fires.

A Climate Council paper released last month points out that since the mid-1990s, southeast Australia has experienced a 15 per cent decline in late autumn and early winter rainfall and a 25 per cent decline in average rainfall in April and May. Rainfall for January to August 2019 was the lowest on record in the Southern Downs (Queensland) and Northern Tablelands (New South Wales).

UFUA National President Greg McConville said urgent action was needed, both to arrest climate change and plan for its consequences.

“Now is absolutely the time to talk about climate change, and the ever more intense fires being fought by our members,” Mr McConville said.

“We are stretched to breaking point. The fire season is longer and more intense than ever. We need to begin work now to boost the nation’s firefighting capacity and make it truly interoperable.

“Our members are living climate change now, duelling with intense, uncontrollable blazes, just as the citizens of our major cities are choking on bushfire smog and blinking in the haze.

“We need a national approach to this challenge. And that’s why we have come to Canberra. Our nation’s politicians need to begin planning now for the reality of harsher and longer bushfire seasons.”

MEDIA RELEASE

National approach needed for firefighting as climate crisis hits
Thursday, 5 December 2019
To arrange an interview: Nick Lucchinelli 0422 229 032

The post National approach needed for firefighting as climate crisis hits appeared first on United Firefighters Union Australia.

We refer to the Post Election Report (available here) and its comments about the interpretation and application of UFUA rules 23(8) and (11) under the heading ‘Other Matters’ on page 3.

We advise that the National Committee of Management Election Meeting is now usually held after 5pm on the day of the closure of the ballot.

Nevertheless, we have asked counsel to advise on appropriate rule alterations to clarify the rules and address any potential difficulties identified by your Report.

Please contact Michelle Baldini at the UFU Office should anything further be required.

Posted on behalf of Peter Marshall, National Secretary

The post Post Election Report appeared first on United Firefighters Union Australia.

The Post-Election Report for the 2019 National Officers elections is available from the UFU or UFU Branch on request of members and is also available here (PDF file 800kB – right click/cmd click to save, or click to open in browser.

The post 2019 Post Election Report available appeared first on United Firefighters Union Australia.

Please note that nominations are called for National Committee of Management Delegates.

Positions open include National Secretary and National President.

Please find below the notice and nomination forms.

• Election Notice E2018/203 [pdf] – Click to open or Right/Cmd-Click to save-as
• Nomination Form [pdf] – Click to open or Right/Cmd-Click to save-as

The post Election Notice: National Committee of Management appeared first on United Firefighters Union Australia.

Please note, the audited financial statement for Financial Year Ending 30 June 2018 are now available from the financials page.

The post UFU Financial Statement for FYE 2018 appeared first on United Firefighters Union Australia.

For the latest information regarding the Branch Elections please click on the red link below.

UFUA BRANCH ELECTIONS

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In many countries around the world, firefighters and their hard won conditions of employment have and still are, being attacked by conservative politicians. This ideological driven process is designed to undermine and besmirch their unions. The aim being to weaken their unions influence and through favourable media coverage, also gain support from the general public and in doing this, Australia is no different. In particular, career firefighters in the State of Victoria have suffered immensely from this approach, which was heartily supported by the Prime Minister and the conservative Federal Liberal Government. One outcome of this was that, those same firefighters have not had a pay rise in 6 years but, the other more insidious outcome, was the result this attack has had on many firefighters mental health and well being.

Re-printed below is the feelings of one of these firefighters from Melbourne, which he posted on Facebook following another false and misleading article published in the Herald Sun.

“I love my job. The one thing I despise isn’t even in the job description. It’s the fact that it’s used by the media/journalists in conjunction with politicians (***Matthew Guy) for ulterior purposes.
Yesterday’s front page headlines (particularly in the Herald Sun) were strategically designed to mislead the masses and cause anger.
It was reported that firefighters would be getting a sudden 19% pay rise and 200 days leave per year in a new deal.
The information was conveniently portrayed this way as they want to pin this on Premier Daniel Andrews that he has ‘rolled over’ and this is important for the opposition as it’s an ELECTION YEAR.
What they intentionally left out was that the 19% pay rise was over a 6 YEAR PERIOD.
The 200 days leave they calculated was a journalist conveniently adding up every and any type of leave available like compassionate leave (someone in your immediate family dies), paternity leave, carers leave, defense force leave, sick leave etc. This is nothing new and is an industry standard.
We get 65 days annual leave not 200 and we like most other shift workers are rostered on public holidays. A decent portion of the extra annual leave is due to the fact we work an average 42 hour week, those extra couple of hours are accrued as leave as opposed to paid as overtime.
What sucks is Fireys like myself are left in a position where we have to defend ourselves from misleading information that is put out there time and time again. We can’t buy a front page headline to tell the truth of a topic, so they will continue to tell lies. All we can do is explain the truth in person and through Facebook for now.
This reminds me to be careful of what I read/hear through the news as there’s so much blatant manipulation particularly when there’s an election to be won. The Liberals in Victoria (led by Matthew Guy) can be so dirty and funnily enough are the first ones to throw firefighters, police and paramedics under the bus often through their journalist friends in the Herald Sun newspaper in Victoria.”

The post Firefighters have Feelings too. appeared first on United Firefighters Union Australia.

Due to regulatory changes that have come into force, the 2016 Financial Documents have been amended to comply accordingly.

Please click on the link below to view the amended documentation.
Any questions members may have regarding the alterations to the financial documents, can be forwarded to the applicable Branch or the National office.

2016 UFU NAT – Financial Statements 10.01.18.docx

The post Amended Financial Documents 2016 appeared first on United Firefighters Union Australia.

Due to regulatory changes that have come into force, the 2016 Financial Documents have been amended to comply accordingly.

Please click on the link below to view the amended documentation.
Any questions members may have regarding the alterations to the financial documents, can be forwarded to the applicable Branch or the National office.

2016 UFU NAT – Financial Statements 10.01.18.docx

The post Amended Financial Documents 2016 appeared first on United Firefighters Union Australia.