CFA wage deal driving 'huge wedge' between volunteers and staff, senate inquiry hears
A Senate inquiry is looking into proposed changes to the Fair Work Act, introduced by the Federal Government in response to a controversial wage proposal for Victoria's Country Fire Authority (CFA) staff.
Key points:
- Fair Work changes have been proposed to protect volunteers from union interference
- A Senate inquiry into the changes is hearing from CFA firefighters
- Senators were told a controversial CFA pay deal is affecting morale
Volunteers have made impassioned pleas for the committee to support the changes, saying the proposed wage deal will wreck the CFA.
But volunteers from integrated fire stations — made up of paid and volunteer firefighters — said the conditions in the wage deal were needed for community safety.
A volunteer with the Hallam brigade Raj Faour told the hearing Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV), which has launched court action to prevent the deal going through, did not represent his views.
"The VFBV love to talk about how they represent the 60,000 volunteers," he said.
"Well I am one, and one of many that stand before you today and tell you that we are not represented by the VFBV.
"We see a huge wedge and divide that's been driven between the volunteers and the staff."
One of the most contentious clauses of the proposed EBA is a requirement for seven paid firefighters to be dispatched to incidents.
Peter Spicer, a paid firefighter with the Craigieburn fire station, said it was important for firefighter safety to have members who were trained in operating pumps and breathing apparatus.
"Even assuming that the volunteer brigade who is responding turns out with a full crew of four people on their truck, there's still no guarantee with the skills mix that I'm going to get," he said.
"It's not a swipe at volunteers and their skill level, but it has to be acknowledged that the skill level of volunteers across the state varies."
Another career firefighter told the hearing volunteer brigades did not have the capacity to respond to fires fast enough.
Volunteers 'sickened and saddened' by EBA dispute
Firefighters from volunteer-only brigades disagreed, saying the proposed wage deal would undermine their role in the fire service.
Wendouree firefighter John Zaina told the hearing the CFA was set up as a volunteer organisation.
"I'm sick in the guts to come here as a volunteer, who steps out of ourselves to look after the community, who's not paid, to defend ourselves," he said.
"It is disgusting. I don't think people realise how important it is.
"The bloody Victoria state would burn to the ground without volunteers, it would simply burn."
Another volunteer, Hamilton firefighter Owen O'Keefe, said situations which required seven paid firefighters on scene were rare.
"Most of the fires they go to [is] to pull the bloody toaster out of the wall and stop the smoke alarm, job done," he said.
"One guy can do that on a motorbike overseas in some countries.
"Somebody asked me was I angry with the attitude of staff towards the volunteers and I said 'no, I'm not angry, I'm bloody sad'."
Hearing told of damage to firefighter morale
On one point, both sides of the argument were united, telling the hearing the long dispute had been damaging to firefighter morale.
Committee member Senator Jacqui Lambie said it was plain to see.
"It doesn't take a brain wave to sit here and watch you guys in front of me [and] realise that you're extremely divided, and that your morale has hit rock bottom," she said.
"That's sitting in front of our face, and that exactly is what is happening between the volunteers and yourselves, and the union.
"You're in a pretty bad state… something is very terribly wrong here."
She suggested volunteers be given the first chance to apply for 350 new paid firefighter positions, as an olive branch.
The hearings continue.