Collective Agreement - Proposed Settlement
After meeting with the Fire Service’s Bargaining Team on Thursday 3 December 2009, the Union Committee, on Friday 4 December, considered the Proposed Settlement
as reached at the end of bargaining and resolved to recommend this Settlement to members for ratification.
The proposed Settlement is as follows:
- A 1.8% increase in Wages and Allowances backdated to 1 January 2009 – 31 December 2009.
- A 1.7% increase in Wages and Allowances from 1 January 2010 – 31 December 2010.
- A lump sum payment of 1.7% of all earnings (i.e. including all Allowances and Overtime plus employer’s Superannuation contributions for the period 1 January 2009 – 31 December 2009.
- Amendments to the Time Banking provision to require time banked days to be taken within 12 months of the days being earned.
- Changes to the Transfer Provisions to update wording to reflect Area changes and to allow the introduction of an agreed Station Preference Scheme.
- All S.M.S./Programmed Work provisions to be incorporated into Part 2.
- Working Parties, with an agreed target completion date of July 2010 to consider Part 4 and Part 3 with the objective of considering necessary Part 2 conditions to be incorporated, and for Part 4 to develop starting rate criteria, how to move through wage steps, and the appropriateness of the wage rates themselves.
- Proposed Clauses for points 4), 5) and 6) are attached.
The Committee decided to recommend the proposal for ratification after reviewing the bargaining over the last year, and considering the likelihood of anything better being able to be achieved.
The Committee agreed that the proposal substantially overcomes the objections to the previous proposal taken out to members.
- The proposal is back-dated to the expiry of the previous C.A.
- The proposal has a term of 2 years compared to the 2½ years previously.
- The proposal delivers significantly more money to members than previously. In 2009, the combination of the backpay (i.e. increase in Wages & Allowances) and the lump sum delivers a 3.5% payment based on total earnings including overtime, allowances and employer’s Superannuation contribution. However, the 1.7% lump sum is not factored into wage rates and allowances to compound for future increases.
- There are no cost saving clawbacks and changes to Sick Leave provisions are now excluded.
Indicative figures for the backpay and lump sum are provided below. These figures are based on the average earnings plus employer's Superannuation contributions at the respective rank.
An individual calculation will need to be done for every member and the Fire Service has agreed to provide an individualized letter to every member detailing the complete breakdown of the backpay/lump sum to be paid.
| F.F | Q.F.F. | S.F.F. | S.O. | S.S.O. | |
| Back Pay (2009) | $1009.17 | $1335.38 | $1457.39 | $1676.92 | $1726.28 |
| Lump Sum | $953.11 | $1261.20 | $1376.42 | $1583.75 | $1630.95 |
| Total for 2009 | $1962.28 | $2596.58 | $2833.81 | $3260.67 | $3357.83 |
| Increase 2010 | $970.26 | $1283.90 | $1401.20 | $1612.26 | $1660.30 |
| 2009/2010 Payment | $2932.54 | $3880.48 | $4235.01 | $4872.92 | $5018.13 |
"Catch-up" Work
The Fire Service has agreed that, if necessary, the only catch-up work to be undertaken is that relating to testing of equipment – B.A., Cylinders, Hose.
There will be no other catch up work e.g. records, fire calls, paper work.
Meetings are being organized at short notice with the intention of completion of the ratification process before Christmas.
Members will be advised of Local meeting dates by their Local as soon as possible and Locals will make very effort to ensure that members can attend ratification meetings.
