Vic: Firefighters threaten strike over disciplinary process
By Jewel Topsfield and Adam Morton
MELBOURNE, April 1 AAP - Melbourne's firefighters today threatened to walk off thejob to protest against a disciplinary process their union says is designed to "instilfear in the workforce".
More than 50 off-duty firefighters rallied outside the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB)headquarters in East Melbourne in support of five officers facing disciplinary charges.
United Firefighters Union (UFU) Victorian secretary Peter Marshall said the hour-longrally voted to set up an ongoing "caravan" picket outside the MFB headquarters next week.
Mr Marshall said he expected a strike would follow before the issue was resolved.
"There will be a time when it will come to that (industrial action)," Mr Marshall said.
"We may well be digging in for the long haul."
Mr Marshall said the charges related to using private email, refusing to take downan allegedly offensive sign and an altercation between two firefighters.
In two cases the firefighters were not told they were being investigated before chargeswere laid, he said.
"The MFB is using this system for reasons other than discipline," Mr Marshall said.
"It is to instil fear in the workforce and it's been inappropriately used and misused."
A hearing before the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to challenge the disciplinaryprocess has been scheduled for tomorrow.
MFB assistant chief fire officer Keith Adamson said it was "absolute nonsense" to claimcomplaints were not investigated before charges were laid.
Mr Adamson said all complaints were investigated and charges were only laid if theallegations were considered serious enough to go to a tribunal hearing.
The tribunal was presided over by an independent barrister and employees could be representedby lawyers and call witnesses, he said.
If found guilty, employees could then appeal the decision to an independent commissioner.
"The only people who have got anything to fear from the disciplinary process are thosewho deliberately do the wrong thing," Mr Adamson said.
AAP am/ce/gl/bwl
KEYWORD: FIREFIGHTERS NIGHTLEAD (PIX AVAILABLE)
No comments:
Post a Comment