As reported in Wordback No 3 of 2021, a meeting was held with the employer (DCO Fletcher, ACFO Button, and Ms Somerville, of the MFS together with Mr Johnson and Ms Porter of the IRAP Branch of the Department of Treasury and Finance) last Friday, 22 January 2021, to attempt to continue to pursue enterprise bargaining negotiations.

Public drilling by D shift in the city on Friday, 15 January 2021 ensured an eventful day in which our union had the opportunity to inform our community about the critical issues confronting firefighters on a daily basis and the refusal by the employer to even discuss the concerns for over a year now.

The Marshall government and MFS management have persisted in refusing to discuss resourcing, in correspondence received this week.

The New Year has now well and truly kicked off and on behalf of us all at the UFUSA, I extend our very best wishes to all our members and families for a happy, safe and healthy 2021.

Yes, it’s Christmas again already, following what has been and still is, a busy year for everyone.

The MFS has today released Memorandum 74/2020 requesting the removal of UFUSA campaign materials.

It was fantastic to finally meet you last week and to welcome you to our union, and to recognise the terrific efforts of all our members in the hard-working Learning and Development Department.

The UFU State Council met yesterday and reviewed the campaign activities to date, the challenges ahead and the strategies necessary to continue to develop our campaign to achieve our objectives.

Resourcing Campaign materials are currently being distributed to members across the state. A program of delivery is underway now to members in Regional Operations. Do you have yours?

Materials supporting the Resourcing Campaign are currently being received and distributed out to stations and worksites in the metropolitan area, with distribution to members throughout regional operations to follow hot on the heels of this initiative.

UFUSA members overwhelmingly resolved to pursue negotiations for the resourcing of MFS appliances, equipment, training and support for firefighters to do our job of protecting our community as safely as possible.

As advised in WordBack No 41 of 2020, active public campaigning including public drilling is suspended due to COVID restrictions. This action will be revived shortly.

As we embark on the strict six-day lockdown, it’s good news that South Australia has reported no new coronavirus cases today, from the 12,000 tests conducted across the state.

The UFUSA Resourcing Campaign Stage One bans, limitations and actions commenced on Sunday 8 November 2020

The campaign for improved resourcing of the MFS in order that you can do your job of protecting our community in a safe and professional manner, was endorsed unanimously by your UFUSA Shop Stewards and State Councillors on 28 October 2020.

The joint meeting of UFUSA Shop Stewards and State Councillors held yesterday considered the report on the failure by the employer in EA negotiations to even discuss resourcing.

UFUSA President Chas Thomas and I met with the Minister for Emergency Services Vincent Tarzia last Monday to discuss our concern at the government’s failure to negotiate on the lack of appropriate resourcing of the MFS.

The UFU is pleased to announce the election of Bryce Williams to the position of Shop Steward/HSR for Adelaide Station ‘C’ Shift.

The very poor state of the MFS fleet is certainly no secret to UFU members who are required to crew MFS appliances, however the list of faults with appliances, continues to escalate.

The September 2020 State Council meeting was once again a very busy one with a range of important matters addressed.

The following MFS advice to all staff was received overnight and is now reproduced here and forwarded on.

It is certainly true to say that our ensemble of PPE has grown over recent times (I’m sure members’ wet weather gear is not far away either…) increasing the protection and safety of members.

The South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service Enterprise Agreement 2017’s (EA) new clause 31 introduced Senior Firefighter, Level II Qualified at a pay point halfway between Senior Firefighter level I and Station Officer level I (approximately $6000 per annum).

Much of our EA negotiations have focused on the need for better resourcing of firefighters. As previously reported the employer has responded by disingenuously asserting that not only is the MFS adequately resourced, the budget is also overspent.

Our fellow firefighters in the UFU Aviation Branch at Adelaide Airport are again fighting for their jobs as the billion-dollar Commonwealth-funded Air Services cynically tries to use the Covid-19 to cut costs.