Our UFU office is receiving a lot of contact from members impacted by the MFS’ failure to pay travel and related allowances as required by the Enterprise Agreement and Award.
It is our understanding that this issue impacts a significant number of members both in the metropolitan area, and in respect of Port Pirie travel (which may also include the non-payment of meal allowances).
Make no mistake: the MFS’ failure to pay travel allowances contravenes the Enterprise Agreement, the Award, and industrial law. The union takes this very seriously.
The UFU has been making efforts to resolve this issue with the MFS for months now. Unfortunately, despite those efforts the MFS has not fixed the problems and has not been able to give any clear indication of when it will.
I am very concerned about members going without payments they are lawfully entitled to. I am also concerned that even if payments are made, members have been disadvantaged by the late payment. I have written to the Chief Officer on multiple occasions asking him to commit to paying interest for impacted members. The Chief Officer has thus far failed to provide any formal response to that request.
I have taken the step of directly writing to raise the issue with new Minister for Emergency Services Hon Emily Bourke, asking that the South Australian Government ensure that every available step is taken to ensure that the MFS ends its breaking of industrial law. I have also taken the step of cautioning the Minister that the MFS currently relies upon members using their private vehicles for travel, and that the failure to properly pay entitlements is putting at risk that cooperation.
I have also directed our Legal team to prepare legal options to compel payments to be made. In order to ensure that we get the best possible outcomes, it would assist if more information could be gathered. One thing that would significantly assist us in being able to assist members will be if impacted members attempt to calculate what you believe you are owed.
We have prepared a survey which impacted members are urged to complete. If you are currently owed an outstanding travel allowance or related allowances, we ask that you please complete the survey. Even if you have previously contacted the union, we ask that you complete the survey at the below link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XDCKS9D
PAY INCREASE SAMFS EA FIREFIGHTERS JANUARY 2025
Members should by now have checked that you have received your 3% pay increase in the first full pay period on or after 1 January 2025 and that it is correct. As you can see from the previous article, lots of mistakes are happening and it’s important that everyone takes responsibility for knowing what your pay should be and that you are receiving it in full when due. It’s a lot easier to resolve a pay problem sooner rather than later.
You can look up your pay schedule in the SAMFS 2022 enterprise agreement here.
As previously advised, please DO download and retain a hard copy of your payslip every payday; you may never have to refer back to them but if you do experience a problem, you will be very glad you’ve kept these records. We are told it can’t happen, but we have seen too many instances where a payslip has changed online some months down the track. Easy to prove it changed though, if you’ve kept the record.
Members are urged to raise any concerns about your pay in writing with management in the first instance, and to keep records of this and any response(s) received. If the matter is not resolved such records assist our union to pursue a proper resolution on your behalf.
REGIONAL OPERATIONS
Time and effort has been devoted in this New Year to trying to increase and improve matters in MFS Regional Operations. There is a lot more to be done but we are advised that improvements in the provision of training in regional operations is on the way. It is also great to hear that members at Port Lincoln Station and hopefully other stations will also finally be accessing certification for road crash rescue training, staffing at various stations is being addressed and the possibility of a number of stations changing to 24/7 operations is once again under discussion.
MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Membership meetings are being conducted, and issues are being raised and addressed in a range of areas including Fire Cause Investigation, CSRD, Marine, Engineering and CommCen together with station visits. Many of these issues are ongoing and are ripe to be addressed in the EA negotiations currently afoot.
In OTR it is harder to get members together but thanks to the good work of State Councillor Locky Eichner a range of issues requiring attention has been compiled, including concerningly, appliances which are not fit for service i.e. a lack of air-conditioning in trucks, including on days of 41° and above. A meeting with the MFS will be held in the near future.
ENTERPRISE BARGAINING – SHOP STEWARDS MEETING
A meeting of Shop Stewards has been scheduled for 09:30 hours on Tuesday, 25 March 2025 at the UFUSA office, 148 South Road Torrensville. If you are a Shop Steward and are rostered on at that time, we will be seeking deployment on your behalf from the MFS. If your workgroup doesn’t currently have a Shop Steward, it’s time to fix it up by giving us a call on 8352 7211 and nominating ASAP. Rather than complaining later, make sure you have a voice NOW.
WHSR TRAINING
Training for WHS Reps level I is scheduled for 27 – 31 May 2025. This is the accredited training required in order that you can exercise your WHSR powers under the Act. Even if you’ve done it before a refresher is always well worthwhile. Let us know if you’re interested.
WORKPLACE INJURIES
It’s no secret that firefighting is a precarious occupation, and injuries are all too common. If you or a mate is injured at work, please ensure you immediately notify your union by calling us on 835272211 or emailing us at info@ufusa.com.au
A big part of our work is looking after injured members in claiming workers compensation and receiving effective rehabilitation and support where needed.
It can be very important what you put down on your claim form right from the start and we are aware of some very ordinary treatment of our members by the bureaucracy in SAFECOM and their lawyers. These matters are being pursued vigorously with the government (your employer) and meantime your union stands ready to assist with and defend individual claims.
PRESUMPTIVE CANCER FOR FIREFIGHTERS
Discussions with the state government are continuing in relation to the extension of the presumptive cancer provisions for firefighters. This includes addressing concerns of members with accepted claims under current provisions, who are seeking extended payments.
Are you aware for example, that workers claiming compensation are eligible for 100% of their missed wages only for the first 12 months, whether or not they take much of that time off work? In the second year, workers are only eligible for 80% for any missed time due to the injury and there is no automatic eligibility for make up wages after that.
Perhaps you have heard of a current case where a member unfortunately has contracted cancer but only took five weeks off work in the first year. As his condition progressed he has needed more time off for treatment but now only receives 80% payment when off work.
When the workers compensation legislation introduced the step downs in wages, we protested vigorously but also fought for and won extended provisions for ongoing wage payments to firefighters who are injured in certain circumstances. In recent times, we have found that our members are being put through a wringer to access this provision, as SAFECOM outsources work to private law firms, with some members waiting 7 to nine months with still no decision. Our union is disgusted to find that the costs of those private law firms are being passed on and required to be paid for by the SAMFS.
Our Firefighters Union is fighting very hard, and we are determined to succeed for members but there is some way to go yet to achieve the original intent of the extended provisions.
It may be that we will need to call on members and our families in the not too distant future, to come out and publicly protest in order to ensure our frontline responders are properly protected in the way that we were assured by government that you would be.
LATERAL/DIRECT ENTRY
Members may be aware that our union has been involved in helping to drive the program offering lateral/direct entry into the SAMFS to experienced firefighters from other fire and rescue services. It’s been years in the making, but the aim is to maintain high standards of entry while recognising the skills of experienced firefighters in a transparent and fair process.
No doubt there will be bumps in the road but hopefully this first cycle will help to iron them out and further opportunities will be available.
ELECTION NOTICE: UNITED FIREFIGHTERS UNION of SA – TREASURER
Members are reminded of the call by our Returning Officer Paul Caica for nominations for the vacancy of Treasurer on the State Council. Nominations open at midday on 7 March closing at midday on Friday, 4 April 2025. All financial members are eligible to nominate.
Nomination Forms can be downloaded here or by contacting the UFU Office on 83527211 or emailing to info@ufusa.com.au from 12:00 hours on Monday 24 February 2025.
All eligible UFUSA Inc members are advised to check that your email address and mobile phone number and any other relevant contact details are current; this will enable all members to participate should a ballot be required.
NEW MINISTER VISITS O’HALLORAN HILL STATION
Many of our stations are not all they should be however some are far worse than others so President Ben Whitlock and I were really glad to join the Chief Officer in welcoming the new Minister, the Honourable Emily Bourke, and other elected local members on a visit to O’Halloran Hill Station on a recent Saturday morning.
It was a great opportunity to help induct our new Minister in the MFS part of her emergency services portfolio and in particular some of the WHS concerns and areas of dire need.
A great big thank you to the local crew who not only showed warm hospitality but also strategically pointed out our concerns with a station that has well passed its use by date. Not to mention taking the visitors up in the aerial appliance. I should add that there is absolutely no truth to the rumour that we wouldn’t let them come down until additional funding was agreed…though no promises if we can get the Premier there!
In conclusion…
This is rather a long WordBack however I did promise you there’d be an update on lots of matters in WordBack No 3/2025. There is no doubt this is a busy year for our union and the above is just a small slice of the work underway. We’ve been a little understaffed in the last couple of weeks so apologies for any delay in responding to you. Thanks for your patience and your courtesy to UFU staff when you contact your union office.
In Solidarity
