SA Firefighter
General Discussion => SAMFS => Topic started by: SA Firey on December 11, 2007, 07:09:46 PM
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Check out this on the UFU website a good shocking read
http://www.ufusa.asn.au/49.html
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Thanks for the info...will take this to a meeting on Friday where some of the volunteer views will be tabled.
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Well that just about sums it up for us cab ranked guys and girls waiting to get the call up. Thanks for trying, come again next year, we might look at you again....
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Not sure why you would table it Andrew - won't matter anyway. The minister is getting fed the info she needs to make decisions by. And remember the UFU has one role to look after its members, same as our associations.
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Gasman
I feel your pain. Looks like another process of wait and see. It hurts passing the tests and not getting selected for a drill squad. :-(
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The latest news boys http://www.ufusa.asn.au/wordback_8_1.pdf
A good read
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looks like i will be reapplying :-(
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That report shows that the government have a hidden (increasing becoming visible) agenda with "SAFECOM".
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http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22975093-5006301,00.html
FIREFIGHTERS are accusing their chief officer of backpedalling in a resources and staffing dispute because of public scrutiny.
The United Firefighters Union fears fire response coverage to the city and inner metropolitan Adelaide will be reduced through a lack of funding for a new Beulah Park station.
The Metropolitan Fire Service plans to open stations at Beulah Park in February and Paradise in February, 2009, and close Glynde.
The union claims the fire service has "no budget available for the staffing of Beulah Park". It is determined to prevent the service relocating appliances there.
Secretary Greg Northcott said members would "fight to have this new station operational with a new appliance and additional staff". He said firefighters became concerned when fire service chief Grant Lupton addressed a service medal presentation on October 17. Union vice president Michael Vanderjeugd said Mr Lupton told the gathering it was "more than likely" an appliance from Adelaide station would go to Beulah Park.
Mr Lupton told The Advertiser "moving an appliance and crew from Adelaide station on Wakefield St in the city to the new Beulah Park station is not a preferred option".
That sparked accusations from Mr Northcott that Mr Lupton was changing his stance. "Taking that appliance out of the city, which the chief officer has now denied he's ever considered, leaves the city square with no fire pump that can respond once just one fire alarm goes off," he said.
He said the fire service should buy another appliance to be staffed by a new crew for Beulah Park. Mr Lupton, however, said fire service resources were "strategically located" to provide an emergency response within the shortest possible timeframe.
"The MFS intends to move the existing crew and appliance from Glynde station when it closes and reallocate a crew and appliance from an existing two appliance stations to staff the new Beulah Park and Paradise stations," he said. "As this matter is still subject to further discussions with the union, a final determination is yet to be made."
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:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
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Time to hit the streets boys!
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I reckon they'd want to sort something out soon or all the public will see is a multi-million dollar fire station with nothing in it. And we all know they like to see their money wasted! :wink:
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Our budgets blown after KI anyway :roll:
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Put a white truck in the station :wink:
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Put a white truck in the station :wink:
We have got plenty of new ones laying around doing nothing :lol:
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I wounder what the state would do if the MFS walked of the job??? so as to get their case about manning looked at,with these so called new stations going to open and with no new F/F looks like some new CFS stations in those areas
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Ah but would they walk?
And would CFS fill the breech?
SAMFS & CFS needs to really stop and look at the service they provide to the state - the whole state!
There are under utilised SAMFS resources around the state.
These resources could be redeployed to the new stations in Adelaide & the wages saved used to recruit new fire fighters.
Or resources that are in the city during the day, could be moved during to the outer stations at night.
People need to understand that its not a bottomless pit of dollars, ESL only pays for around 50% of the cost of the emergency services.
We collectively have some of the best equipment in the country, we expect it!
We have GRN, some other states have too, others are just now looking at it.
We have PPE that the eastern states only dream of, vehicles too. Remember that in most states both fire & SES vollies services still rely on hand outs.
In reality we are a lower to middle class state, yet want everthing the rich folks have!
The sad reality is the general population don't give a toss, as long as someone turns up!
So what argument could the UFU use to justify their position?
I haven't seen any support from the public so far.
And if CFS steps in to fill the gap they will be strike breakers - goodbye building bridges.
Seems like a good way to break both fire services to me :-(
As I said before both services need to take a long hard dispassionate look at their service delivery and find ways to a)deliver better services & b) save the government money or at least be cost neutral.
It is really unfortunate that we have to think in those terms, personally I believe the emergency services should be above all of that but thats not what Joe public wants - it sucks.
Finally remember where the SAFECOM CEO came from prior to SES & what one of his major achievements were.
With that thought cheers
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The public are unaware of what is going on in all emergency services and its time that they where informed,its also time the MFS showed its respose times to jobs,its time we all worked as a team and supported each other(my god did I just say that) I must be getting old.
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Thats because the public have blinkers on :-P
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The public are unaware of what is going on in all emergency services and its time that they where informed,its also time the MFS showed its respose times to jobs,its time we all worked as a team and supported each other(my god did I just say that) I must be getting old.
I read somewhere that MFS claim to have a 30 second response time. I think that that would be a bit un-achiveable in most cases. They would have to be sitting in the truck ready to go to achive that every time.
Was up in the comms centre a while back and a call came through and it took the 1st truck someting like 2 mins before it left.
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Adelaide will never have a Flyer :lol:
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But how, you guys are always in the media doesn't seem to make a difference.
And the departments are getting heavy on adverse public comment.
And if you put a case directly to the minister & the local member, they have all of the answers or at least enough ammunition to make you look foolish(trust me I have had first hand experience :wink:).
So whats next? & what do response times got to do with it?
There is no way that a vollie service could expect to cover the whole of the metro Adelaide,so if possible we should support our MFS colleagues. Remember it is after all their livelyhood.
cheers
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SAMFS have had many strikes over the years, but the firefighters STILL go to work. Just the tasks like paperwork, training etc will not be done. The SAMFS might strike but will always attended calls.
In England about 30 years age the fire service went on strike and did not attended
fires and a woman died in a house fire, this was bad press and a sad day for the service.
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I read somewhere that MFS claim to have a 30 second response time. I think that that would be a bit un-achiveable in most cases. They would have to be sitting in the truck ready to go to achive that every time.
Was up in the comms centre a while back and a call came through and it took the 1st truck someting like 2 mins before it left.
If you've got the crew of the truck sitting on the engine bay floor, next to the truck its achievable...
And that happens how often SAMFS?
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just have a strike that involves less available pumpers to be dispatched..show the potentional future.
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just have a strike that involves less available pumpers to be dispatched..show the potentional future.
That already happens now, its what they call "reduced response". So they wouldnt be breaking any new ground there.
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SAMFS have had many strikes over the years, but the firefighters STILL go to work. Just the paperwork etc will not be done
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Could do a nude stop work meeting that would attract attention :evil:
Seriously the UFU & SAMFS need to come up with a solution which is cost neutral.
Nobody cares if they don't do the paperwork
cheers
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They care when you don't charge for instalation jobs etc
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CRIKEY.
Did you see how many firefighters have been paid over $100k in the last 12 months due to overtime?
They could drop that back to no overtime and employ another 50 full time firefighters!
What a rollercoaster ride the whole application process was. I think I might wait a few years before applying again. You get such a massive buzz doing the testing, and then get shattered.
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They care when you don't charge for instalation jobs etc
it's funny how strikes don't work any more - but as soon as you threaten to lose income - the govt and management suddenly sit up and listen!! the ways of unions is changing - but the ambo's have over 97% membership - a rather self explanatory system?
The AEA has found that hitting the Gov't in the hip pocket is the best way to get action with the Rann Gov't. The last round of industrial action didn't result in strikes, but rather the billing copy of every case card went in the shredder, or just had no patient details in it - and costs the gov't somewhere in the vicinity of $100 000/day
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The latest news from the UFU SA is a push for one Fire Emergency Service organisation.
Interesting read
http://www.ufusa.asn.au/safecom_submission.pdf
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A very interesting read especially when compared to the CFSVA submission.
Would like to see the SESVA submission too if it has been completed.
One of the common themes (in both the UFU & CFSVA)is the role of SAFECOM & what has it actually delivered?
The other is keeping SAFECOM out of operational matters, this is very different to the FESA & QLD model (in the higher level stuff anyway)that is floated on this forum.
Will the review take all of this stuff on board? Who knows, as it would mean major change to current thinking. There is also some empires & reputations on the line :wink:
As I said I wouldn't mind seeing the SESVA take on this, if there is one.
I did notice one thing though most of both submissions content is around the SAFECOMs relationship with the ESO's & the composition of the board. Not much around the operational side of things.
Finally thanks to the UFU for pointing out an anomaly that exists in the WR&C Act & the volunteer protection stuff in the F&ES Act
I think we are in for interesting times ahead.
cheers
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The UFU believes the future for the South Australian Fire and Emergency sector is the
consolidation of Emergency Sector Organisations. In doing so the UFU believes the South
Australian Community will be best served by one single service; Fire, Emergency and
Rescue Services operating through one operational entity.
now thats a bold statement ;)
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The UFU believes the future for the South Australian Fire and Emergency sector is the
consolidation of Emergency Sector Organisations. In doing so the UFU believes the South Australian Community will be best served by one single service; Fire, Emergency and Rescue Services operating through one operational entity.
yet futher down we see this:
T.O.R. 6 – Individual Agencies as separate Legal Entities
The UFU supports the current legislative framework recognizing the three Emergency
Service Organisations as separate legal entities. The UFU also submit no changes to the autonomy of the organisations should be entertained.
I'm a bit confused. Any of you UFU peoples care to clarify ?
cheers
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The UFU believes the future for the South Australian Fire and Emergency sector is the
consolidation of Emergency Sector Organisations. In doing so the UFU believes the South Australian Community will be best served by one single service; Fire, Emergency and Rescue Services operating through one operational entity.
yet futher down we see this:
T.O.R. 6 – Individual Agencies as separate Legal Entities
The UFU supports the current legislative framework recognizing the three Emergency
Service Organisations as separate legal entities. The UFU also submit no changes to the autonomy of the organisations should be entertained.
I'm a bit confused. Any of you UFU peoples care to clarify ?
cheers
I think they just want to hold the purse strings. Keep the lions share of the funding and throw the scraps to the rest.
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Would like to see the SESVA submission too if it has been completed.
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Chook,
Talk to your SASESVA rep at Loxton. A submission was created by SASESVA as well as a submission by SAFECOM Advisory Board.
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But Andrew, shouldn't they be available like the CFS & UFU ones are? - What if you aren't a member of the association?
But at least they have done something :wink:
cheers
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Now this statement will shake things up a bit....
could CFS members join the UFU :-o
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But Andrew, shouldn't they be available like the CFS & UFU ones are? - What if you aren't a member of the association?
But at least they have done something :wink:
cheers
Ahhh, ask your Loxton based rep that question. He is on the SAFECOM Board as well.
I was not voted in at the last SASESVA election so I cannot answer. But I have some theories which will stay out of the public domain (otherwise I will get told off again)
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No worries mate - I think I already know why :wink:
Take it easy & will see the local guy & try to secure a copy of both.
cheers
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Why join the UFU?? start our own union our membership would be higher than the UFU.........
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Why join the UFU?? start our own union our membership would be higher than the UFU.........
If we joined the UFU we wouldn't have anyone to bitch and moan about when the MFS start expanding, and allegedly the government would do anything we ask. We wouldn't want that! :(
--- this is sarcasm, for those that missed it...
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Ah but then there is always us to pick on :wink:
How would you get you subs paid? Brigade funds? :-D
We don't need a union we both have the same thing - the associations remember? :evil:
Sarcasm duly noted & agreed with :wink:
cheers
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The latest news on the battle http://www.ufusa.asn.au/08_wordback_1.pdf
and a audio link to Leon Byner's radio interview with all parties http://www.ufusa.asn.au/atwone/pod/cast_morning080130.mp3.html
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Yep seen it wonder what they are planning now?
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After listening to the radio interview it is really clear who is telling porkies :wink:
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Quote: "We hereby put this government on notice that until appropriate funding and resources are provided for the staffing of Beulah Park it will remain embarrassingly empty."
Yeah nice work UFU, deny the residents of the area the "supposed" best level of emergency service.
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They were both talking out their filtered's..
Well when the fire services are stretched so thin that fires rage through homes like bushfires. We will say we told you so but it will be too late, but it will take that to see something done about it!
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The secret is out -EBA negotiations :wink:
Old union trick, during EBA roll out understaffing, poor conditions, OHS&W issues & most importantly go public!
There is obviously some stuff that SAMFS wants, which the union don't like & their main tool is public pressure. Can't have industrial action at this stage of negotiations, however you can over publi safety :-D
Roll on Tuesday!
cheers
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The latest Wordback is interesting apparently the Government & SAMFS are mixing up the budget & EBA negotiations! Have a look and see what you think.
http://www.ufusa.asn.au/08_wordback_2_1.pdf
Anyway take it easy & cheers
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The latest Wordback is interesting apparently the Government & SAMFS are mixing up the budget & EBA negotiations! Have a look and see what you think.
http://www.ufusa.asn.au/08_wordback_2_1.pdf
Anyway take it easy & cheers
Na they are just trying to raise their profile before going into EB. Its their traditional tactic. Beat the government until they are down, make the community scared about public safety and then go into EB so that the govt backs down and gives them everything they want.
I wonder if it will work this time.
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Another interesting read http://www.ufusa.asn.au/rogs_2008.pdf
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Interestingly they only took selected parts from the report - the picture is a bit different when you read the whole thing.
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There is a vast amount of statistical information in the ROGS report and it should be digested over some time but the underlying trend for the state of South Australia is not one that the United Firefighters Union is comfortable with. The government has tried to streamline the delivery of Emergency Services by creating an over-arching body known as the South Australian Fire And Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM). Unfortunately this department consists primarily of public servants and ‘bean counters’. In it’s first full year of operation the SAFECOM budget was approximately $8 million, in it’s second year this had gone up to $11 million – not a good sign.
SAFECOM is where more and more funding is goin....... :|
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Dont be alarmed everyone, old Davo has SAFECOM running like a well oiled machine, hes already changed the number of years since Ash Wednesday according to his wrongly dated COMMent newsletter,so anything is possible :-D
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Chook, considering, who would ever be able to use an entire report to make a convincing argument that they need more money
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Yep of course you are right, just reading the whole report doesn't paint such a dark picture. So by only publishing the negative bits only scares those who would read the extract. But as you said "make a convincing argument that they need more money" was the purpose & the extract may do that!
Pity its not quite true :wink:
cheers mate
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Another interesting read http://www.ufusa.asn.au/samfs_capital_budget.pdf
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Another interesting read http://www.ufusa.asn.au/samfs_capital_budget.pdf
So why wait 4-5 years to whine about it. Fair dinkum the UFU must go thru the archives if they dont have anything current to whinge about!
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Latest wordback http://www.ufusa.asn.au/wordback_8_2008.pdf
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Latest wordback http://www.ufusa.asn.au/wordback_11_2008.pdf
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UFU have implemented Public Holiday policy again into full time stations. Apparently related to issues with changes to Command and Control procedures.
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Public holiday policy?
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Basically means all they do is respond to calls.
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What changes were made does anyone know?
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Are retainees ever going to be covered by an award?
Does the Union which retainees belong too know what a retainee does yet??
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Yes the MFS retained firies are being brought into the fulltimers award and new EB being negotiated at present. There will be specific sections that relate purely to retained.
And yes in my opinion the UFU do have a reasonable idea what the retained crews do.
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We were told about this eb a fair while ago now, what is happening with it?
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At present there would be no one who is retained that does it for the money. But from what I've heard the EB may even make it worth your while cash wise, as well as doing it for the love :wink:
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The UFU are in negotiations with MFS, SAFECOM & Govt at present and all going well it should be sorted out in the next few months. As to its content we will have to wait and see.
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The new P380 Bronto F37HDT has arrived from Liquip last night. :-D
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to angle park or ST20?
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to angle park or ST20?
Will be based at Station 20 when its on the run.
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UFU imposed work bans have been lifted again, after a compromise on the changes to Command and Control SOP.