Consequent on the ratification of the Collective Agreement, the Agreement has now been signed.
The Union understands the new rates of pay will be implemented on the Payday 29 October (Pay 16) – and the backpay back to 1 July 2003 will also be paid that day. That backpay will include overtime worked since 1 July as well as any allowances claimed.
"That the proposed Settlement of September 2003 be accepted”
Members will be aware that the state of Arapawa’s appliances are in a shocking state. When appliances have to go off the run for various reasons and relief
appliances are obtained, members are advised to be very vigilant as to the worthiness of these relief trucks.
Do not accept inferior equipment at any stage, especially appliances. Check the vehicles out thoroughly, test the pump. Lets make sure we don’t “make
do” This is what management are doing and relying on us to do.
If it means that there are no more relief pumps at all, then that has to be, Ring your Union representative and ring the Chief Fire Officer and ask
him where are they going to get another appliance from.
This is especially interesting when some composite stn volunteer pumps are K’0’d during the day and still have trouble responding at nightsand some
stand alone volunteer stations have 2 pumps.
It would be extremely embarrassing for management to be asked why a crew of four paid to be at work were not able to respond in a fire appliance to
a call when the volunteer stn down the road had 2 sitting there doing nothing.
Please be vigilant and aware
Members should be aware that training / practice evolutions for the PCA will be conducted later this year.
The front page of Newsletter 13/2003 contains an error in that the bullet points commencing “Working Parties” and “Greater flexibility” have been transposed.
After some weeks of what proved to be complex negotiations, the Union Committee is in a position to recommend to members a proposed settlement for ratification.
Members are reminded that a national policy exists pertaining to entitlements for those persons attending recognised Fire Service courses such as Phase courses, Drivers courses, Vehicle Extrication courses etc but does not encompass local “in service” training days such as refreshers.
Only established Courses recognised by the Professional Development Unit and Regional Training departments are applicable.
Members are advised that there is a written agreement between the Fire Service CEO and the National Union regarding rehabilitation of injured workers. In short, the agreement states, “As far as practicable, rehabilitation will take place on an employee’s normal shifts.”
Agreement negotiations re-commenced on Friday 4 July.
Prior to that meeting, the Union Committee received a briefing on TAPs development. Coming out of this were a number of matters of detail requiring further discussion.
The Fire Service negotiators indicated they were at the limit of their bargaining authorities and would need to seek further guidance from the
Commission and other
agencies such as the State Services Commission.
A further meeting is scheduled for 17 July.
This matter was last reported on in Newsletter No.6/2003. That Newsletter advised, amongst other things, that the Fire Service had filed in the Employment Court for an injunction to restrain alleged strike action and to prevent unlawful picketing.
As a result of that action, further unsuccessful mediation was held.
The Fire Service has now advised that they do not intend to proceed their action on an interim basis (i.e. seeking an interim injunction),
but will proceed to a full hearing. It is
expected that this will occur in the first half of September.
As noted in Newsletter No.6/2003, the Fire Service continued to name as first Defendants, individual Union officials:
Mike McEnaney, Athol Conway and Jeff McCulloch.
The Union is named as Second Defendant.
Since the inception of Service Holidays, it had been agreed that service with various State Agencies (e.g. Armed
Forces, Public Service etc.) would count towards the 7 year
qualifying requirement for Service Holidays.
As some members may have noticed, the pay sheet covering Pay Period No. 7 has incorrect printing with regard to the total gross amount.
Members of the Superannuation Scheme will have received a form from the Scheme to be used if you wish to directly forward the P.C.A. payment into the Superannuation Scheme as a voluntary contribution.
Members have been updated in newsletters and memos on the progress of the development of the P.C.A. and associated matters – most recently in Newsletter
4/2003
of 9 May 2003. That newsletter advised that the only outstanding matter was the finalisation of the payment for undertaking the assessment.