Members will recall that the Local disputed Wellington District management’s stance on travel payments when members undertake travel at station other than their own, especially when that station is closer to their residence.
The Local can now confirm that its stance was entirely correct and District management have conceded that all those payments withheld from members will be paid.
All workers ought to be seriously disturbed at the actions of Progressive Enterprises management in locking out 600 workers who work in the company’s four distribution centers.
An incident occurred between Yellow Watch staff and the Waitemata Volunteers (November 2005), during which the Yellow Watch crew were exposed to intimidation, harassment and a Professional Firefighter was
threatened with physical violence by a group of Waitemata Volunteers.
The Auckland Local does not support the removal of aerial appliance response from predetermined attendance.
The members of the Fire Brigades Union of United Kingdom, especially in the Merseyside brigade have once again come under attack from their employer. Their employer has proposed 10% job cuts and reductions in fire cover.
There seems to be a divergence from past practice and agreements in Wellington Fire District regarding travel payments whilst on Overtime.
The Local has taken up members concerns with CFO Graham. The Local has informed Mr. Graham that the e mails and statements by DCFO Dunphy are quite incorrect and we have asked that all monies owed to members, be paid ASAP. Members are advised that the paying of travel money dates back quite some time when the Fire Service transported FF’s and their PPE to the station they were due to attend for OT.
There have been a number of formal and informal discussions with the Fire Service since the negotiations were last reported on.
As per the attached Ballot Declaration Form, I hereby declare:
Members are advised again, that it is the policy of the Wellington local for members not to accept requests for Section 66.
The Union Committee and the Fire Service have agreed to reconvene the negotiations next week to see if the remaining outstanding issues can be resolved.
Washington, DC – Fire fighter union representatives from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States agreed to join forces this week in a powerful alliance that will enable the unions to combine their resources to fight for better wages, benefits, pensions and health and safety regulations to protect their members, and for standards, staffing, training, equipment and resources to enable fire fighters to adequately protect their communities.
The date for this hearing has now been changed to 24 July 2006.