December 14, 2012

Station closures and TOLing:

Clarification of Stand Bys and Move Ups

The Department has responded to SITREP 47/2012’s clarification of Stand Bys and Move Ups by stating that it does not agree with the Union’s interpretation of the Award and will not be recognising or paying for any Outduties performed as the result of a 4 hour-plus or late Stand By. The Department’s letter of 10 December concludes with the unambiguous advice that, “to be clear, fire crews directed to perform a ‘move up’ will not be regarded as having completed an outduty; will not count as one of the 12 outduties that the firefighter can be directed to perform in a calendar year; and will not attract any relieving or kilometre allowance”.

As a result of the Department’s refusal to acknowledge and observe members’ Award conditions, members are hereby instructed that no permanent firefighter or Station Officer member who has performed an Outduty (as defined below) is to perform any further Outduties or Stand Bys until further notice from the State Secretary.

• A “Move Up” is where an appliance and its crew are directed to relocate to another station or location in order to provide cover for another station or appliance that remains staffed but is operating elsewhere (eg, the other station has responded to a major incident, or is undertaking training or some similar FRNSW activity but is still available to respond).

• A “Stand By” is where a firefighter, either individually or as part of an appliance crew, is directed to relocate to another station or location for 4 hours or less in order to provide cover for another station or appliance that has been taken off line (TOLed).

• An “Outduty” is where a firefighter, either individually or as part of an appliance crew, Stands By at another station for more than 4 hours or Stands By at another station for less than 4 hours but does not return to their own station until after the rostered end of shift (ie, after 0800 or 1800).

Members seeking advice or assistance in regards to the operation of this instruction should contact a State Committee official. Mobile numbers for all officials are available on the Union’s website:

http://www.fbeu.net/contact-us/scom-details/

Union instructions remain in force

Assistant Commissioner Hamilton last week issued a memorandum concerning specialist qualifications (hazmat and rescue) and the application of the Award’s “attached to” provisions under Clause 6. Not surprisingly, that memorandum contradicted both the Union’s advice in SITREP 41/2012 and the Award, and is therefore to be disregarded.

More generally, members are reminded that only the Union lifts or varies Union instructions and advice. We have no intention of getting into a silly “notice war” with the Department whereby whoever publishes last wins, and members should treat all Union instructions and advice as valid unless and until advised otherwise by subsequent Union notice.

Jim Casey

State Secretary                                                                                                   Friday 14 December 2012