Hundreds of members turned out today to the UFU meeting held at the West Adelaide Football Club to hear a report on enterprise bargaining and to determine the way forward. In an enormous demonstration of solidarity and resolve, after hearing the report on the negotiations and the government’s current offer, the following resolutions were passed unanimously by the meeting:
“This meeting of UFUSA Members rejects the offer made by the Malinauskas Government and we call upon them to recognise and respect the true value of firefighters, as well as the obligation of the employer to provide guaranteed training to ensure the safety of firefighters and the community we serve.”
“Members of the UFUSA resolve to endorse the UFUSA ‘Fair Go for Firies’ Campaign including industrial action in support of fair outcomes to enterprise bargaining.”
Accordingly, the FAIR GO FOR FIRIES campaign has commenced with immediate actions being:
• Immediate Ban on charging for alarms using Code 600
• All day shifts wear Union T-shirt (currently blue changing soon to red) Commencing B Shift
• Display UFU Flags from Aerials
• Focus on UNITY STRENGTH & DISCIPLINE to WIN
• Social media – members to like and share to spread the word
• Engage with media present today and ongoing
This is just the beginning of the campaign and the meeting agreed that activities once implemented will be ongoing and added to each week, ramping up fairly quickly as we go. The Disputes Committee will meet again on Friday to consider some of the matters raised by members about proposed actions and Shop Stewards will receive the program of activities and timing, shortly thereafter. Members are asked to prepare for significant actions to be implemented commencing day shift D on Monday, 8 September 2025.
It is understood that some activities will be inconvenient for members however we are looking to keep that to a minimum as much as possible.
Formal correspondence is being sent to the employer by the UFU to advise of the campaign and again emphasise to them the requirement to engage in good faith bargaining as per the Act.
A reminder that Members participating in authorised campaign actions enjoy the protection of the union and should not be subject to any adverse actions by the employer. Any such actions or threats from any manager should be reported immediately to your Shop Steward or the union office on 8352 7211.
I am seeking to report in more detail on negotiations to members in as many stations and workplaces as possible so please don’t hesitate to let me know if you would like to organise such a meeting.
One extra union T-shirt is being made available to members who supply their name and size to their Shop Stewards. Currently they are still blue, but the red ones have now arrived and will go to the printer tomorrow, so hopefully we will be able to start distributing them soon. Please don’t underestimate the significance of this collective action demonstrating solidarity.
Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting today, the solidarity and resolve demonstrated by such a large number of members is what is needed to break through the impasse in the negotiations and ultimately succeed in firefighters being treated with respect and your value recognised.
We Dare to struggle.
In Solidarity
