A huge thank you and congratulations to everyone who turned out to last Sunday’s Fun Run; it started out very grey and drizzly but that didn’t douse the spirits of everyone involved. Thank you also to the many supporters and donors to the Black Dog Institute. Together we make a difference.
STAGE FIVE: THE CAMPAIGN ESCALATES
29 September 2025
• A “Sign Bombing Mosaic” is being established for Monday, 29 September 2025 by Adelaide Station operational crews. Those involved will know and be involved in the plan which for obvious reasons will remain otherwise confidential until sunrise on Monday. Queries can be directed to Ben Whitlock, Andy Caire, Grant Chatterton, Les Carter or Paul Caford.
Protest month – October is proposed to be a month of public protests commencing with the meeting of Shop Stewards scheduled for 10:00 hours on Wednesday, 8 October 2025 at the UFUSA office. We will then gather collectively to raise our voices at a variety of venues. Dates and places to be considered by the Campaign Disputes Committee and advised soon.
• Large Campaign Signs – a huge debt of gratitude is owed to our industrious volunteers for getting the signs out this week to the metropolitan and some regional stations. We are working on the logistics for further distribution to stations in regional operations after the “sign bombing” action on Monday 29/9. Please let us know if you do not have a sign and want one by emailing info@ufusa.com.au Thank you also to all members who have been involved in erecting signs on stations, flying the union flags, displaying the magnetic signs on trucks, wearing the campaign red T-shirts and sending us photos of all of these actions.
Social media – Thank you also to everyone who has participated in the social media campaign, liking and sharing and generally getting the word out there. There has been a huge increase in this activity well over and above even our previous EB campaign me: please keep up the great work.
• Relievers – all relievers who are designated “Spares” (showing green on Sapphire) will report to Adelaide Station on the next day of tour, ready to take direction on where to go from 0800h/1800h respectively. If being relieved from that station, at end of that shift the Reliever will travel directly home with all gear, reporting to Adelaide Station for the start of their next shift when they will then be sent to any relieving station with a shortage by the relieving
Officer’s as required. On parade they will receive direction to the next station. If reporting back to the same station for the next shift, leave all gear and travel as per normal (home and relieving station).
Example: The relieving member reports to Adelaide STN just prior to 0800h, on parade the relieving officer directs the reliever to report to Salisbury STN for that tour, due to sickness etc. The reliever will carry their equipment to Salisbury that morning and report there each day as usual. On the last shift at Salisbury (the reliever will now appear green on sapphire).
The reliever returns home with their equipment and reports back to Adelaide STN for morning parade with their PPE. If in doubt, please contact STN Officer James Abbott.
The above is the only change, and all other relieving will continue to be conducted as per current arrangement (long-term gaps, future preference stations, holiday relief, et cetera.
Members are urged to keep careful record of all time worked and all travel undertaken.
• CommCen – Operations Deployments will not be preloaded as usual but will instead occur at commencement of shift at 08:00 hours with usual communications sent subsequently.
• E Shift – consistent with the OTR bans, will only cover training; A ban on OTR relieving of individuals rather than whole crews, resulting in recalls being required for individual relief.
• CSRD – Members have banned billing of booster testing. Bans on Dry inspections and Smoke testing being considered for stage five. Prep of messaging to building clients of potential further campaign action which may in future impact.
• ‘Nu-Passive’ Action – This is the implementation of an Alternative Daily Work Routine with core skills, SDF, training and public drilling as determined by crews and officers who are UFU. This would mean a deviation from the daily deployment if so decided and agreed. Regular station and appliance maintenance to be conducted as per current requirement. In service courses and SOPP programs are exempt from any ban.
We hope and expect that MFS managers will work with us however any local difficulties encountered by members should be reported immediately as this is authorised campaign action.
PR Visits cancelled –APFF Women and Children’s Hospital Burns unit visits exempted.
Operations – Ban on Act Ups, in this stage now including long-term GADs. This applies to Operations and includes Adelaide personnel acting up in Port Pirie Station. Day work exempt.
Marine Act Ups – Marine are participating in the Act Up ban tailored to the situation. Please speak to your Shop Steward Steve Buchanan if any queries.
ComCen Ban Act Ups – Members in Comms are banning day to day act ups but not on GADs due to needs and the local circumstances. Please speak to your Shop Steward Brad Burch if any queries.
Virtual Standbys – Coms Members have also placed a ban on Virtual Standbys; again, please note that those already in place will be honoured.
- “Work to Rule” Shift Changeovers – Ops Members are reporting for duty at the legally designated time of 08:00 hours for day shifts and at 18:00 hours for night shifts, rather than providing the employer with the usual additional free time.
Please ensure that appropriate paperwork is completed to enable payment of overtime as per the Award, to those holding back to complete Parade and effective handover. Due to the in adequate staffing of support personnel, the processing of this paperwork is highly likely to be delayed. It is VERY IMPORTANT that members keep a clear record of overtime worked.
ComCen continues escalating the “Work to Rule” Shift Changeovers action with local arrangements to fit the circumstances, applying. Please refer to Shop Steward Brad Burch with any queries.
*****It’s appreciated if we can all remember that at any time anywhere, all crews can help one another out where there are specific difficulties for an individual). It is recognised that there is a lot of inconvenience and difficulties for everyone in participation in these actions however there is no alternative if we are resolved to make a difference and stand up for ourselves. Let’s all ensure we are united and kind to one another, as we stand strongly together to have the value of firefighters recognised. Our strength is in our unity.
A ban on transfers to and from Operations to Comcen.
The ban on charging for alarms continues. Having received agreement from the MFS to honour the waiver of fees in return for the data collection, members are requested to enter the call into the AIRS system, Select Block B & enter YES in the Waive Code field. Put ‘IA’ ( standing for Industrial Action) in Comment field in Waiver, as requested by MEMBERS.
The ban on charging for private alarm monitoring continues, using the same method described above.
Campaign T-shirts – Members are asked to continue wearing UFU campaign T-shirts as a minimum on day shifts. If you do not yet have your red T-shirt, please notify your shop steward or contact our office with your name and the size required by email info@ufusa.com.au
Photos of members wearing the red T-shirts and drilling or carrying out your work are very much appreciated. Additional T-shirts are available at $10 each. Hoodies can be ordered through the union shop on the website.
Chalking FAIR GO FOR FIRIES on windows of Stations and private vehicles (chalk on order), meantime magnetic signs have been distributed as widely as possible.
Display UFU Flags publicly everywhere we can.
Social media – as above, members please send in pics of your activities and to like and share all posts in order to spread the word. Thank you to the many members who have done this.
• Continue to engage with media
• Focus on KINDNESS to sustain our effort and UNITY, STRENGTH & DISCIPLINE to WIN!
Reminder: Training and promotion processes are currently exempt from industrial action.
Your FGFF Campaign Dispute Committee meets again at 13:30 hours on Wednesday 24 September to consider and confirm next steps in the escalation of the Campaign on 29 September 2025 and to oversight the organisation of campaign materials. Please watch for the WordBack late next week for details of actions in Stage Five to be implemented from Monday 29 September 2025.
In the event of any queries or concerns please contact your Shop Steward or State Councillor in the first instance or call the union office on 8352 7211.
NOTICE OF SHOP STEWARDS MEETING – EB UPDATE
Wednesday, 8 October 2025
10:00 – 1400 hours
UFUSA Office
Light Lunch Provided – Please RSVP: info@ufusa.com.au
In Solidarity
Max Adlam
