FIREYS are turning up the heat on the state government in an election year with a high-profile campaign highlighting union concerns about fire brigade staffing levels.
The United Firefighters Union has launched an aggressive campaign directly targeting Premier Denis Napthine over the number of professional firefighters employed by the Country Fire Authority.
Union banners with the slogan ‘Napthine slashes. You burn’ are on prominent display at several locations, including Frankston and Patterson River fire stations.
The union told The News it had not organised the erection of the banners and said the actions taken by firefighters at local stations must be “spontaneous”.
The UFU is angry that the Liberal National coalition state government has broken a pre-election promise to employ an additional 342 firefighters in the aftermath of Black Saturday in 2009 and has slashed the CFA’s annual operational budget by $41 million.
The CFA has more than 1500 paid staff members and about 60,000 volunteers.
UFU Victorian branch secretary Peter Marshall justified the decision to personally target the premier with its latest slogan.
“We’re addressing the premier because he is the person responsible for cutting funds to the fire services and not hiring the firefighters this state needs,” Mr Marshall said.
“His government’s decision could result in the loss of firefighter life or injury and also impact on the safety of the community. The buck stops with him.”
The firefighters’ determination to publicise their discontent with the state government comes as ambulance paramedics also publicly push their case for better pay and conditions.
Ambulance vehicles have been daubed with slogans accusing the premier of putting lives at risk due to budget cuts.
The banner at Patterson River fire station was taken down this week. The News understands this was at the behest of CFA command.
A CFA spokesperson said the banners were not part of protected industrial action.
“Unauthorised posters and stickers on CFA property is not an appropriate use of CFA buildings, vehicles and equipment, and is not permitted,” the spokesperson said.
The UFU is organising a ‘Napthine slashes. You burn’ protest rally at Melbourne Trades Hall on Tuesday 25 March.
The Ambulance Employees Australia union is coordinating a campaign specifically tageting the Carrum electorate later this month, dubbed ‘Code Red Carrum’.
AEA assistant secretary Danny Hill said paramedics and firefighters would join forces to visit residents across the electorate to spread the word about state government budget cuts and resources shortfalls.
“We’ve handed out leaflets elsewhere before and public support has been overwhelmingly positive,” Mr Hill said.
“We’re trying to highlight delays with serious response times.”
Firefighters and paramedics will meet at Patterson Lakes Community Hall at 10am on Saturday 29 March before heading out to door knock Carrum electorate residents.
