The Federal Government’s Volunteer Protection Amendments to the Fair Work Act
UPDATE FOR MEMBERS - 23 AUGUST 2016
Yesterday, Monday 22 August, the Federal Government released its draft legislation, the Fair Work Amendment (Respect for Emergency Services Volunteers) Bill 2016 in accordance with its commitment made during the Federal Election (you can download a copy of the Bill below).
VFBV was able to provide valuable input to the development of the legislation, and we are very pleased that it has shaped up in a way that we believe meets our concerns and deals with the practical issues affecting volunteers.
The legislation will be a simple change to the Fair Work Act, making it objectionable for workplace agreements to restrict or limit the emergency service organisation’s ability to:
- engage or deploy its volunteers;
- provide support or equipment to those volunteers;
- manage its relationship with, or work with, any recognised emergency management body in relation to those volunteers;
- otherwise manage its operations in relation to those volunteers;
The legislation will also provide an ability for volunteers, through bodies such as VFBV, to make submissions to Fair Work Australia in respect of these issues if we have any concerns.
The amendments aim to fix an anomaly in Commonwealth law that affects CFA volunteers and the volunteers of other emergency service organisations covered by the Fair Work Act. The anomaly, which has been of concern over recent months, allows enterprise agreements for paid emergency service workers to override State emergency management laws such as the CFA Act.
For CFA volunteers, the anomaly means that if the proposed UFU agreement was adopted under current Commonwealth industrial law, it would effectively allow industrial interference into the organisation, operation and support of CFA volunteers, and CFA decision making affecting volunteers.
The Federal Government proposes to table the legislation next week, the first sitting week of the new Parliament. We are hopeful that it will get support from all sides of politics in both Houses of Parliament, and volunteers from Victoria and other States will be working with MPs and Senators to explain the need for, and benefits of, the legislation and the importance of it to volunteers.
The legislation has no impact on pay negotiations, but does provide a mechanism to address the concerns that have been broadly discussed about the current EBA.
The votes of independents and smaller parties may be crucial in getting the legislation through the Senate, and there are some early signs of support. Newly elected Senator Derryn Hinch has been on radio this morning, expressing his support, and South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon has written to the Council of Australian Volunteer Fire Associations (CAVFA), expressing his support for moves to rectify the anomaly, so we are hopeful that this is a sign of support to come.
In the meantime, VFBV’s preparation for the Supreme Court action beginning on 22 September is under way, and one of the most important things Brigades can be doing is helping us promote the fundraising for this initiative, and encouraging people to support volunteers by visiting our website www.vfbv.com.au to make a donation, or fundraising through work with community groups, sausage sizzles and other local efforts.
Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews, the new Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino, the CFA Board and management, and the UFU Secretary Peter Marshall, have all made claims that they have no intention of the EBA negatively impacting on the role of volunteers, the provision of support to volunteers or CFA decision making. As such, we would expect that they have no problem with the proposed Fair Work legislation, and therefore we expect their support also.
We disagree with their assessment as to whether the proposed EBA does or does not impact on volunteers, and as such we see the Fair Work Act legislative amendment as very sensible and very necessary protection for volunteers and the work we do.
A time to honour our fallen firefighters
CFA Media release - Thursday, 21 April 2016
Victorians are invited to pay respect to the state’s fallen firefighters by attending the Annual Memorial Service for Firefighters on Sunday, 1 May.
Memorial services are held in a different regional centre each year, with the 2016 service to be held in Wodonga.
CFA Chief Executive Officer Lucinda Nolan said the service was dedicated to remembering firefighters who had given their lives in the line of duty.
“There are 67 members who have lost their lives through service to the community,” Ms Nolan said.
“The number of people directly affected by this loss is even greater, and we pay our respects to their friends, families and loved ones.
“More broadly, it’s a time to honour the personal sacrifices and commitment that our firefighters make each and every day.
“We are forever changed by each of these losses and lessons we’ve learned as a result continue to shape our organisation.”
CFA Chief Officer Joe Buffone said the service would also mark the 10-year anniversary of the deaths of Barnawartha Fire Brigade member Rebecca Helwig and former Campbell’s Creek Urban Fire Brigade Captain Trevor Day.
“The passing of both members in separate accidents in 2006 hit the CFA community hard,” Mr Buffone said.
“It is a constant reminder of the inherent dangers posed by not just firefighting, but within any emergency services organisation.”
Three new CFA memorial banners will be unveiled at this year’s service as a representation of CFA’s memorial wall.
The memorial is held on the Sunday closest to International Firefighters’ Day, known as St Florian’s Day (4 May).
This will be the 18th service held in regional Victoria with the 2015 service held in Ballarat.
The service will be held from 2pm at the Sacred Heart Church, Beechworth Road, Wodonga.
CFA VOLUNTEERS' CANCER PETITION
UPDATE 7 NOVEMBER 2014 - VFBV Cautiously Welcomes Coalition's Cancer Announcement
Click here for VFBV's response
UPDATE 10 OCTOBER 2014 - First Batch of Petitions goes to Parliament
VFBV has lodged the first batch of petitions being collected across Victoria to urge the Government to fix problems with the existing firefighters’ cancer compensation process.
VFBV is hopeful the presentation of these petitions to the Victorian Parliament next week will help convince MPs of all parties to fix a problem that has now been fixed in most other States across Australia.
Over 17,000 signatures are included in this first batch, making this one of the largest petitions to be presented to the current Parliament. In the meantime, the campaign continues and volunteers are urged to keep collecting signatures and posting completed petitions to VFBV, PO Box 453, Mt Waverley 3149.
The first batch of petitions was lodged with the assistance of Labor MP for Narre Warren North, Luke Donnellan, and Liberal MP for Hastings, Neale Burgess.
UPDATE SEPT 22 - SEND IN SIGNED PETITIONS NOW, TO;
VFBV Cancer Petition
PO Box 453
Mt Waverley 3149
And keep collecting signatures to support CFA volunteers with cancer
CLICK HERE to download the 12 page petition
Start collecting today - from friends, family and the community.
Why? Firefighters are more likely to suffer certain types of cancer, but if they become sick, the existing compensation system makes it almost impossible for them to be looked after.
Other States have fixed the problem, but Victoria lags behind.
Help Firefighters to cut through the RED TAPE and make it simpler and fairer to access cancer compensation
CLICK HERE to download the big 50 page petition
HOW TO DO IT;
- The Victorian Parliament requires each signature to have a name and address, and the petition must only be signed on one side of the paper
- When you have a reasonable batch of signed petitions, send them in and keep collecting
- Post them to VFBV, PO Box 453, Mt Waverley 3149 (If you need help with the cost of return postage, call the VFBV office on 03 9886 1141)
- Take the petition everywhere with you
- Organise your Brigade to collect signatures in shopping streets, at community, church or sporting events – wherever large numbers of people are gathering
- We need thousands more signatures by 15 September, so send what you have before then
Want to read more about the issue? Download our;
VFBV’s Notes for Volunteers or
VFBV Publications
This page is a resource for volunteers, with a wide range of useful documents for download, including;
- VFBV Annual Reports
- VFBV Notes for Members and News Notes for MPs, explaining major issues like fleet funding, presumptive legislation – the firefighters’ cancer law – and volunteer concerns over industrial interference in CFA
- Reports and data analysis from the annual VFBV Volunteer Welfare & Efficiency Survey
- The CFA Volunteer Charter
- The VFBV Volunteer Welfare Fund Brochure
- The VFBV Constitution
- The Volunteer Code of Conduct
- The VFBV Brigade Delegate pack, containing useful information and resources for volunteers representing their Brigades at VFBV District Council meetings
To find VFBV's monthly newsletter, our Page 2 column in FireWise, click here.
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