P.C.A. Payment
This payment will be made to all eligible members Pay Day 20 May 2008.
Black Watch Workers Translation to Part 4 Wages
For the majority of Black Watch Workers agreement has been reached on the appropriate Part 4 step to translate on. In every one of these translations, the new Part 4 step is an increase on what is presently paid. This increase will be backdated to 1 January 2008.
Further consideration is being given to those cases (principally VSOs) where initial work proposes a Part 4 step lower than paid at present. Clearly any such change is unacceptable to the Union and consequently, further consideration of these cases will be undertaken. In the meantime, those persons will continue on present rates.
Transalpine Asst. Region Manager Appointments
The Union is assisting two members seeking Reviews of these appointments. A number of important procedural issues are being discussed with the Fire Service as to how these Reviews ought to happen in the interests of fairness. If a fair process cannot be agreed, the Union will seek legal advice.
The Union notes with interest the appointment of one of the Transalpine Asst. Region Managers as the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the UFBA. The Union presumes Mr. Ditmar will successfully juggle the roles of CFO of the Rangiora Volunteer Fire Brigade, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the UFBA and shortly an Asst. Region Fire Manager – this will be an outstanding effort.
Christchurch Fundraiser for Hamilton Colleagues.
The Trust Fund established by the Union continues to receive donations and the amount collected will be significantly boosted by a Fundraiser organized by members of the Christchurch Local. The following information from Richard Hurst-Long provides details:
“I thought I would write and let you know what we are doing down here as far as fundraising for our work colleagues in Hamilton.
Chris Walsh an ex fire-fighter from ChCh who now owns a successful arborist business called Treetech in ChCh approached me the other day and offered his support for our brothers that were injured at Tamahere. Chris was willing to donate firewood and garden mulch for us, (Christchurch fire brigade), to on sell to the public with all the funds raised going to the Hamilton fund. With this very generous offer I approached our District Chief Dan Coward, who was more than willing to help, and at our local meeting where all our members voted unanimously to support the idea. With this support we started to organise on duty crews along with off duty guys to turn up at Treetech yards and start ringing up firewood, as Dan stated,¨ this would be good chainsaw practice¨, and to this day have begun to amass a reasonable pile. Along with the offer from Chris, he told me the Rock Radio Station would match our amount raised dollar for dollar up to $3000, and he had another local business that was willing to let us use their car park to sell the goods. We have decided to have one big day on Sunday May 4th 2008, and are looking to raise a considerable amount for the fund. The Christchurch Press is doing an article on our efforts to drum up support along with the Rock Radio Station broadcasting the event in the coming week. I approached the Mad Butcher Shop in Northcote who have agreed to sponsor sausages on the day for a sausage sizzle along with Couplands Bakery and Moorehouse Pak n Save supplying bread and sauce etc.. I hope this message can be passed on to our colleagues in the north and hope that this in some way makes their tragedy a bit easier to bear and let them know that we are thinking of them and we are more than willing to help them out in any way we can.”
Thanks Richard and to all of you in Christchurch.
Donations can be made at the Union’s Website or at any Branch of the A.N.Z.
Account: 010542-0140032-03
Hamilton Firefighters Trust.
