Standbys in Volunteer Districts

The Local has had enquiries from members regarding requirements to standby at fires in other fire districts. The locals advice that this may be the case once the fire district in question has used all their own members for said standby.

Relief Pumps

Members are advised to be extra vigilant and observant in respect of relief appliances turning up to their stations. Members will be aware of the poor state of the relief fleet and that they should not accept anything less in terms of operational readiness and safety. The Local advises that comprehensive testing and assessment of relief appliances should be carried out before they are to be used on their station.

Drivers

The Local is aware that some pressure is being applied to members to become drivers. Members, especially new members should be aware that there should be no pressure applied to become drivers. In the past the Wellington Fire Brigade has had a policy that new recruits weren’t to become drivers until they had completed 2 years as an operational fire fighter. This Local sees no reason why this practice should not continue.

PCA Trial Comments

As you can appreciate, the PCA is still very much in its trial and development stage.

If members have any comments or issues that they wish to raise, the proper process is either via this Local or directly to the working party’s Union Officials.

If members could refrain from making public statements to the media and other organisations with regard to their views over the PCA whilst it is still under development and trial, this would be appreciated.

Provincial Volunteer Scholarship

This Local has been made aware of attempts by a Wellington South CFO to arrange a Scholarship type arrangement with the UFBA for Provincial volunteers. They were to be riding with a city pump for a week with a view that this could be contagious and other districts would get involved.

The Local is amazed that in this industrial climate it was not consulted on this proposal. Attached is a letter to the CFO Wgtn South for your information.Members will shocked to hear that the CFO in question is apparently severely disturbed by its contents and is taking advice on a reply. It will be clear to all members that this CFO shows no good faith towards the Union and is in fact only severely disturbed because he has made promises to the UFBA that he shouldn’t have

At a recent meeting of the Executive 8 applications to rejoin the Union were tabled. The Local has received these applications along with a letter detailing the reasons why these people left the union during the last industrial dispute. The Secretary gave an undertaking to these people that their applications would be considered at the next executive meeting.

Much discussion took place on the pro’s and con’s on the re entry of these people. It was decided that the Local reps did not have a firm enough grasp on what their members feelings were on this matter to decide for them. Therefore a Motion was passed in favour of conducting a secret ballot of all Wgtn Local members to provide a true indication of members feelings.

Members are advised that the Wgtn Local has come under some pressure from the National Union to accept these re-applications from around the time of contract settlement. The wording of the ballot is being worked on now by executive members and should be available soon.