Annual General Meeting
Members are advised that the Wellington Local AGM will be held on:
16th August 2005 at Thorndon Fire Station at 1830 hrs.
Remits will be called for, discussed and voted on. Successful remits will be taken to the national conference.
Absence Management Meetings
Members are further advised that it is the Union’s recommendation that members should not participate in these meetings until further advised by the National Union. Any member contacted to attend should contact a Local official in the first instance.
Overtime
Members are reminded that although overtime is voluntary, it is sometimes very difficult to issue. Members should be aware of the need to maintain MSM for a variety of reasons. It maintains a minimum standard in crewing and appropriately qualified personnel in the correct seats.
Members will need no reminding that management see the MSM as archaic, unnecessary and inflexible. So as not to further erode the conditions of employment fought hard for in previous years, members are asked to make themselves available for overtime with these things in mind.
Transfer Dispute
Members will be aware of the dispute the Local had with Wellington Management regarding the transfers of 3 SSO’s. The issue was on two levels, the transfers and what transpired with a newly promoted SSO that initiated the transfers.
It was managements assertion (quite wrongly) that a new SSO could not be stationed at City station for a variety of reasons as they saw it. And it was this assertion that initiated the spate of rash of directed transfers.
The Local met with newly appointed Wellington CFO Graham. When it was pointed out by the Local the flawed, illogical, non consultative and
downright destructive methodology of the directed transfers, CFO Graham saw the Locals point and logic and reversed the transfers.
CFO Graham also could not see the point in appointing someone to a rank and then subsequently not allowing them to work where the vacancy
was and
at a busy station.
The Local is encouraged by the logic and strength shown by CFO Graham in this instance. CFO Graham indicated he is looking at holding Officer
forums with a view to improving Officers development within Wellington Fire District. The emphasis will be on Officers being encouraged
to decide for themselves and being encouraged by CFO Graham to expand and develop if they choose to do so.
The Local supports any initiatives that are consultative and that encourage development of all staff.
Building Inspections
With reference to FSO T Nightingale’s region wide e mail sent to all officers on 19 July 2005, Allocation of Building Files.
It is the Locals understanding that there is a new building inspection form that members are supposed to be using which can only be found
on the Intranet
and once members have navigated their way to this document, it is branded with the words sample only.
If members are required, as it would appear from Mr Nightingale’s e mail to use this form, which no one knows about then members are recommended
to contact their CFO and or Fire Safety Officer for training on the use of this form before they conduct any further building inspections.
As members are required to follow instruction from the National Commander, i.e. complete the appropriate building inspection form then
this Local expects that a level of training should take place to ensure accuracy and compliance with any such instructions.
