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United Firefighters Union of Australia
Victorian Branch

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No Personal Protective Clothing for Recruits!

Fire Rescue Victoria plans to send its latest recruits out to stations without full complements of Personal Protective Clothing and Personal Protective Equipment. 

As we head into what is expected to be an elevated fire season, Fire Rescue Victoria plans to send Recruit Graduates to stations without the capability to adequately protect the community this Summer.

This is an unacceptable breach of workplace safety and presents a real and present risk to the community as well as firefighters. 

The UFU finds the situation abhorrent and demands immediate action from Fire Rescue Victoria and the Minister for Emergency Services.  

The UFU has raised a dispute in accordance with clause 21, Division A and clause 26, Division B of the Fire Rescue Victoria Operational Employees Interim Enterprise Agreement 2020 (the Agreement).

Failure under the Agreement to issue full complements of Personal Protective Clothing (PPC) and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to FRV Recruit Firefighters on Recruit Courses 15, 16, 17 and 18.

On the information the UFU has obtained, it is clear to the UFU that Fire Rescue Victoria expects its newest employees, being FRV Recruit Graduates, to report for duty at their respective appointed stations without the necessary protective clothing and equipment to keep these Firefighters safe. 

This is an unacceptable breach of the Agreement and failure on the part of FRV.  It is also abhorrent that a fire service would hold such expectations of its personnel/our members – that is, to expect a Firefighter to report to duty without the necessary uniform.

The UFU acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land, and we pay our respect to their Elders, past and present.

The UFU supports the call of First Nations peoples for a Voice to Parliament to be enshrined in the Constitution.

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