Below is an open letter that came to our brigade from J M Walker
Life Member of NZ Fire Brigade Union. 1st General Secretary of the Union
To the Volunteer Firefighters of New Zealand.
I must admit I have been out of touch of changes in the NZ fire fighting system but it has been brought to my attention in the last few months. I think I will number the points.
1.All full time fire fighters in NZ were originally Volunteer areas
2.For example, Christchurch still has fully staffed stations with Volunteers, New Brighton, Lyttelton, Sumner.
3.Many hears ago we negotiated with the New Zealand Fire Service Commission paid Station Keepers in bigger towns.
4.We also negotiated a special payment for Permanent Fire Fighters for cutting people out of cars or trucks involved in accidents.
5.A shipmate of mine sent me a cutting; He is Mr Neal Berrill and keeps me informed with NZ news. It is about the Little River Brigade and it concerned me. I enclose it.
6.We have been very active here in Australia on the political side of the Trade Union Movement, fighting against the cutting of wages and conditions that have taken over a hundred years to get.
7.I met the secretary of the NSW Fire Fighters and we had a discussion on the NSW wages and conditions of the Retained Fire Fighters. This was at a Pre-election action meeting.
8.The State secretary is Mr Simon Flynn and one of his field organiser Mr Simon Flynn and one of his field organisers Mr & Mrs Whitbread who have been a great help. Pages of conditions number 47 and are a credit to a concerned Union.
9.Enclosed are death and disability awards 2006 15 pages.
10.I think you should all consider your position. This is your plan of action.
11.After receiving this information and your Brigade has debated it, you go to your local MP and ask for his or her help.
12.Ask him or her to give you the following information.
13.What is the total insurance for “Fire” and “Car” and “Truck” in NZ.
14.What is the total 12 1/2% of GST paid to the Government on the total of Fire and Car and Truck insurance.
15.Also ask the MP to tell you how much insurance is being written by overseas Insurance Companies.
16.Get all this information from your MPs. Then get in touch with the UFBA and the city's permanent unions for their immediate help and assistance. I state clearly under no circumstances on going to your MP you take any notice of what 'part' the MP is from. He or She is your servant and you want his or her help on a bipartisan stand against the way you are being used.
17.It is important that you all when have your meetings, think about your position in your Brigade. You put your lives on the line going to your station to answer the call, the travelling to the call and while young and old run from fire, you run to it; grass, forest, homes and hospitals. You all care for your country and your area of your country. I believe we worry too much about sport and not about our fellow man and woman. If the player is on $250,000 per year, a retained volunteer is worth more than no payment at all.
18.I will never agree to any of you to be treated unjustly by the Service Commission. The thousands of all hold the tens of thousands of New Zealanders lives in your hands.
19.This letter to you all will be released to the Media. We have a distribution problem that we are working. We think many of you will have to be patient on the distribution of our information. We think that many Brigades have friends in other Brigades. Speed is also a problem. I believe that it will take some time to change the Laws to give you all justice. It will take some months. I suggest that the date should be 1st of April 2008. If it takes longer than that, it is easy to be back paid. Seeing the Government and insurance companies are swimming in money you are all generating for them.
20.Union Fees. The NSW union fees for retained Firefighters is ¼ of the union fee paid by full timers. It should be the same in NZ
21.I hope I have helped you all to adjust your thinking for your future. Don't forget that NZ still has very powerful unions but they are called The Law Society, The Accountants, the Doctors and Specialist Doctors, all of whom determine their own wages.
22.I have to say that myself a Retired Senior Station Officer Colin Rae have been very upset by the advice we have been given that no Volunteer wants the same conditions enjoyed by the Australian Retained Fire Fighters.
23.This is a total lie!
24.NZ 2008 “June”. Petrol over $2.00 per litre; Australia $1.65. Australian Rates, no GST for property rates. Both countries have automatic bracket creep with inflation – for example an item goes up by a dollar, in Australia's case to $1.10, in NZ's case to $1.12 1/2= bracket creep. In Australia no unprocessed food is charge GST in NZ $1.12 ½ cents.
The Champion tennis players of the world received no pay but now get 'millions'. The same with cricket, the same with soccer, the same with rugby. Without being organised to get reasonable justice, the NZ Fire Brigade Union has fallen behind in wages since 1983 compared to Australia but the NZ Volunteer is so far being treated as a fool by the NZ Fire Commission, just as the Fire Service Council treated the Permanent Fire Fighters when I joined in 1953. No Volunteer Fire Fighter who is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, should be taken as a fool. You are not fools. You are all honourable dedicated New Zealanders working for your communities while the Politicians and Insurance companies enjoy your kindness of thought. Please wake up to your treatment.
Yours Faithfully,
pp J M Walker GG Walker
Life Member of NZ Fire Brigade Union. 1st General Secretary of the Union phone 93276658
P O Box 1619
Double Bay
Postcode 1360
Sydney. NSW
Australia
