Dear Members,
On Thursday last week I delivered a letter to the UFUSA State Council advising that I will retire as your Secretary effective from close of business 11 December 2026.

The decision to retire has not been an easy one. I will always have a tremendous respect and affection for UFU members, and an unwavering gratitude for how deeply you have embraced me and made me feel like a part of the Firefighters family. Your strength, generosity, kindness of spirit and service to our community is something that to this day I remain in awe of. Being able to serve you has been the deepest of honours. I will miss the conversations, visits to stations, and the opportunity to spend time around such amazing people.

I also believe that the time is right. Unions cannot be built around any one person. I have always believed that the Secretary is but a custodian. The task is to ensure that the union builds strong structures and develops its membership and officials so that the union can remain strong when you pass the torch.

I firmly believe that our union is set up for strength into the future: we have a passionate, knowledgeable and enthusiastic State Council in place. As a long term unionist, I have always greatly enjoyed our State Council meetings. Watching its members volunteer their time to sit and discuss policy issues of significance for the membership, and plan and conduct industrial campaigns, is special. I have worked at many unions during my career: the democracy in our union is the envy of others.

I am so inspired by having watched our shop stewards structure, and its changes and development over the years. The shop stewards were the group that first asked that I run for Secretary, those eight years ago. I have always been tremendously grateful for their trust and support. Seeing many of our shop stewards stepping up during the ‘Marshall Doesn’t Give A Truck’ and ‘Fair Go For Firies’ campaigns was something I am both heartened by, and deeply proud of. You stood up, you fought, and you won.

In the last 12 months we have achieved the strongest wage outcomes in our history, the introduction of a health monitoring program, new increments for Station Officers and Commanders, and a much needed review of the training program as just some of the highlights. To have achieved this, and to have also achieved the expansion of our presumptive cancer laws to 23 cancers, has been no small feat for our union.

During our time together we’ve taken on Chiefs, Executive Directors and Governments. And we have always come out on top. More than enough proof of what I have always known: our union may be small in size, but when it stands unified it has a might that cannot be denied. I will be watching with pride knowing that the union will carry that might into its next campaign.

I would like to particularly acknowledge the support and friendship of the other Officers of the Union that I have served alongside. Presidents Chas Thomas and Ben Whitlock and Vice Presidents Matt Watherstone and Andy Caire, and former Vice President and current Treasurer Chris Barry: your support, friendship, and comradery have meant the world to me. I could never thank you enough.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the role that Peter Russell has played as Acting Secretary during the time that I have been on leave, and as Director of Legal, Industrial and Members Services prior. We have been a true team, and I know we share the same values, passion, belief in and vision for our union. I would not have made the decision to take leave or retire if I did not believe that the union was in good hands. I wish him every bit of success, and he will have my full support.

Finally, although the end of my time as your Secretary is approaching, this is not farewell. I look forward to seeing many of you at events in the future.

In Solidarity
Max Adlam

Thank you Max

UFUSA Secretary Max Adlam has given notice to State Council that she will retire on 11 December 2026.

I cannot properly do justice to Max and her contributions to our union in one wordback, and there will be occasions in the coming months when we will be able to more properly recognise her.

Nevertheless I would like to take the opportunity now however to recognise her immense contributions to our union, and her leadership and solidarity. Max has represented Firefighters tirelessly, and without fear or favour. She has pulled no punches in speaking on behalf of our members, whether that be to Ministers, Premiers or officials of other unions.

It has been an enormous privilege to work under her leadership, and I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity. In this age of political wheeling and dealing and compromises, the opportunity to learn from a genuine membership first leader is rare and beyond value.

Max’s shoes are far too big for any one person to attempt to fill. She has worked tirelessly, and often around the clock in a way that simply cannot be replicated. She leaves behind a union that is stronger and more democratic than the union it was when she found it. It will be all of our responsibilities to ensure that it stays that way. Our staff, State Council and Shop Stewards structures must, and wil,l continue to grow in strength and capacity, and we will all contribute to ensuring that this continues to be a fighting union where all are valued.

I’m sure that many members will be eager to thank Max for her contribution. We are arranging an event recognizing her retirement, and celebrating the union’s recent successes, and will publish more details as arrangements are made.

Acting Secretary arrangements:
Of course, Max’s retirement will leave a vacancy. During the last State Council, I stepped out whilst State Council considered what should be done from 12 December onwards. Following that consideration, State Council asked me to stay on in my position as Acting Secretary until the next regularly scheduled elections in early 2027. I have agreed to do so. Although it is not my desire to occupy the position on an Acting basis any longer than is necessary, and although I am eager to seek your mandate to continue as our union’s leader as soon as possible, I also appreciate that the logistics and costs involved with running two elections in a short space of time may not be in the union’s best interests.

In the interim, I will not take the position for granted and I will continue to work hard each and every day to protect and advance your interests. It is an honour to serve this proud and great union. I am grateful for the support and encouragement I have received whilst adjusting to this role. Thank you.

Income adjustments for schedule one claims:
I have previously reported on the outcome of the Kancheff supreme court decision, which will result in pay adjustments for all workers with accepted additional compensation claims under schedule one of our Award.

We have recently met with the SAFECOM injury management team and are working through a method for having the historical adjustments performed. These can be complex exercises, and so getting through each may yet take some time. Claimants will be entitled to arrears on the adjustments when finalized.

Shop Stewards meeting:
We have scheduled our next shop stewards meeting for 1 October 2026 at the UFUSA offices at 148 South Road Torrensville.

For shop stewards who are intending to attend, please RSPV to info@ufusa.com.au to ensure that we are sufficiently catered.

Training review:
The training review won in bargaining by UFUSA members has commenced. Gideon Douglas has been appointed as the SAMFS liaison to the review, and I am thrilled that Chas Thomas has accepted our nomination to represent the union during the process. I could not imagine a better team to get this critical work done.

The review will involve significant opportunities for UFUSA members to participate, incorporating surveys and site visits including to regional stations. We very much encourage every member to ensure that you participate in a way that will shine full light on the great many defects in our approach to training. If we are going to fix the problems, the review will need to be able to identify them.

Supplementary Shop Stewards and HSR elections:
In an attempt to ensure that we have shop stewards present in every station, and covering every work group, we will run a supplementary election for positions that are currently vacant.

If your station or work group does not have a shop steward and HSR, please consider nominating or encourage one of your colleagues. Having a strong, representative, and active shop steward and HSR structure is critical for the union we need to build.

Existing shop stewards and HSRs will continue to serve the rest of their terms. We will distribute more information about this process in the near future.

In Solidarity,