United Fire Fighters Union Of South Australia
Diesel Exhaust Emissions
As Firefighters, we need proper diesel exhaust extraction in all our workplaces.
Safety And Resourcing
As Firefighters, we need to be properly resourced to keep the South Australian community safe.
Message from the State Secretary
In our commitment to service to our community, UFUSA members personify and are widely recognised for their Integrity, Competence, Reliability, Accountability, and Loyalty and so much more.
I’m proud that today they are also attributes of our Union’s strength and solidarity and you can be sure that our Union will continue to proclaim those strengths in our advocacy for the maintenance and advancement of members’ industrial conditions now and into the future.
In solidarity,
Max Adlam
About
The United Firefighters Union of South Australia is a small, but vital Union, which represents the interest of professional firefighters in South Australia. It is a Union committed to the cause of establishing a better fire service, not only for its members, but also for the community which it serves. The Union was formed in July 1986 after the amalgamation of the Fire Brigade Officers Association and Fire Firefighters Association of South Australia.
History
The Formative Years
From the early 1900’s through to the early 1970’s the Officers and Firefighters were a small and neglected part of a Union known as the Australian Government Workers’ Association (SA). The AGWA later became part of the Miscellaneous Workers’ Union. In the many years that we were part of the AGWA, services that were provided to Firefighters were inferior in nature compared to their Victorian counterparts.
Firefighters and Officers in South Australia in the late 60’s and early 70’s quickly became dissatisfied with the services that were being provided by the AGWA and consequently broke away from that Union to form two separate organisations, one representing Officers and the other representing Firefighters. It was unfortunate that the split away from the AGWA wasn’t a united one, however, the Officers and Firefighters continued to work closely together between 1971 and 1986, which saw a period of great activity in South Australia. Within a short period of time, wages and conditions of Officers and Firefighters in South Australia moved from the lower quartile to the upper quartile. As a result of a number of intense industrial disputes, great improvements were also made to the superannuation benefits of Officers and Firefighters.
Latest WordBack
Update on PPE Dispute
The UFUSA attended a further conciliation conference at the South Australian Employment Tribunal on 17 August 2026.
Firefighters cannot ‘zip it’ on PPE issues
It is always inspiring to see such passionate and knowledgeable discussion on issues of
importance taking place from your work place representatives. A few important updates to members arising from that meeting
UFUSA wins in the Court of Appeal
We are proud that yesterday the South Australian Court of Appeal upheld our appeal and determined that Firefighters who have accepted ‘schedule 1’ Award claims (dealing with additional compensation after the expiry of return to work act entitlements for injuries that arise in particular circumstances) are entitled to receive enterprise agreement pay rises back to their date of injury (in most cases).
