United Professional Firefighters Union - Western Australia
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United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

7 days ago

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia
𝟑𝟖𝟏 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐬... $𝟑𝟔𝟑,𝟎𝟎𝟎... 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟖 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡Did someone say systemic mismanagement?WA's Career Fire and Rescue Service Staffing CRISIS has exploded in March 2026; and it's only been 8 days!👩‍🚒 381 staffing vacancies required off-duty staff to recall to work or complete 24 hour shifts.🚒 18 out of the 30 Career Fire Stations have been left without staff, some on multiple occasions, impacting their ability to respond to emergencies with the minimum crewing requirements stipulated by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA!📡 Communication Systems Officers also impacted, with reports of WA's only Fire and Emergency Services 000 call centre operating below minimum staffing requirements on at least one occasion already this month.⚠️ 43 operational staffing crisis reports have been submitted. That's 43 times a station or truck hasn't been available on normal duties.💰 $363,000 in taxpayer money has been spent, which is over $45,000 PER DAY to keep the Career Fire and Rescue Service operating at a standard which is still below minimum requirements.Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA and WA Labor - We're constantly needing to fight you for community safety and the future of our members. The Fighting Needs to Stop.#fightingforyoursafety #FightingForOurFuture ... See MoreSee Less

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United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

1 week ago

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩The Enterprise Bargaining system has failed to address long-standing, structural problems within the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).Years of unresolved issues have steadily eroded the capability, sustainability, and wellbeing of WA's Career Fire and Rescue Service.For more than a decade, Firefighters have absorbed increasing operational complexity, emerging risks and heightened public expectations while wages, conditions and organisational support have failed to keep pace.The consequences are already visible. There are growing difficulties attracting and retaining firefighters and officers, increasing levels of stress and burnout, rising medical retirements, and escalating workers’ compensation claims. These are not isolated issues. They are clear indicators of a system under strain.Industrial agreements that are intended to provide stability are being routinely challenged or reinterpreted by DFES, forcing constant disputes over matters that should be resolved through consultation and good faith.WA's Career Fire and Rescue Service is not seeking special treatment. It's searching for fair and reasonable conditions that reflect modern firefighting, protect workforce sustainability, and ensure the community continues to receive the level of service it expects and deserves.When an entire workforce feels undervalued, unsupported, and unheard, outcomes suffer immensely. That is why we've been Fighting For Our Future.And the Fighting Needs to Stop.#FightingForOurFuture#FightingForYourSafety ... See MoreSee Less

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United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

1 week ago

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia
Our members are onsite at an Apartment Fire in North Perth, attending in trucks that are funded to be appropriately staffed 24/7 every day of the year.These very trucks, as with the rest of the fleet across the Career Fire and Rescue Service, have been Decommissioned, placed on Restricted Duties, and operated below safe staffing levels or experience profiles frequently since mid-2024. Today, it is down to luck that these trucks were online and available to attend this Incident... As well as the off-duty Station Officers and Firefighters, more than 20 of them across the Metro area, who volunteered to complete a 24 hour shift or recall to duty on their day off. A service run on luck, goodwill and overtime isn't a healthy one. It's a service grappling with systemic mismanagement and it is placing everyone at risk.That's why we are Fighting for Community Safety and the Future of Our Members.And the Fighting Needs to Stop.#fightingforyoursafety #FightingForOurFuture ... See MoreSee Less

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United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

2 weeks ago

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia
The owner of the The Bellevue Darling Range Hotel has praised the fast response of our members to Sunday's structure fire, where crews managed to contain the damage upstairs.This incident highlights the importance of having all fire stations operational, all trucks online and every specialist resource appropriately crewed as they're meant to be: 24/7 - every day of the year. Saving lives and properties shouldn't be down to luck. That's why we are Fighting for Community Safety and the Future of Our Members.And the Fighting Needs to Stop.#fightingforyoursafety #FightingForOurFutureThe Bellevue Darling Range Hotel's owner praised firefighters for their quick response to Sunday's fire. Despite extensive upstairs damage and an undetermined cause, the owner is hopeful the downstairs pub will open soon. ... See MoreSee Less

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United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

2 weeks ago

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩The Enterprise Bargaining system has failed to address long-standing, structural problems within the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).Years of unresolved issues have steadily eroded the capability, sustainability, and wellbeing of WA's Career Fire and Rescue Service.For more than a decade, Firefighters have absorbed increasing operational complexity, emerging risks and heightened public expectations while wages, conditions and organisational support have failed to keep pace.The reality is simple. Existing industrial frameworks no longer reflect how firefighters work, the risks they manage, or what the community expects of them.The consequences are already visible. There are growing difficulties attracting and retaining firefighters and officers, increasing levels of stress and burnout, rising medical retirements, and escalating workers’ compensation claims. These are not isolated issues. They are clear indicators of a system under strain.Industrial agreements that are intended to provide stability are being routinely challenged or reinterpreted by DFES, forcing constant disputes over matters that should be resolved through consultation and good faith.WA's Career Fire and Rescue Service is not seeking special treatment. It's searching for fair and reasonable conditions that reflect modern firefighting, protect workforce sustainability, and ensure the community continues to receive the level of service it expects and deserves.When an entire workforce feels undervalued, unsupported, and unheard, outcomes suffer immensely. That is why we've been Fighting For Our Future.And the Fighting Needs to Stop.#FightingForOurFuture#FightingForYourSafety ... See MoreSee Less

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United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

2 weeks ago

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia
𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒚𝒔Since 2014, the 28th of February has been referred to as Thank You Fireys (formerly Red Balloon) Day. A day to take a moment to say thanks to the Career and Volunteer Firefighters of Australia for protecting our communities, saving lives, facing trauma, and risking illness or injury for the sake of others. So to the fire crews of United Firefighters Union Aviation Branch, Volunteer Fire & Rescue Services Association of WA Inc, Bushfire Volunteers WA, Volunteer Fire & Emergency Services Association - WA and Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia - Thank you for everything you do throughout the year to keep WA safe 24/7.To our own members of the Career Fire and Rescue Service, from the 5th Class Firefighters to the Chief Superintendents, Communication Systems Officers, Applied Training Staff, Fire Safety Officers and others in specialist roles - Thank you for your strength, tenacity, professionalism and kindness as we experience one of the most tumultuous and difficult periods of our history. You're doing an amazing job keeping a struggling, underappreciated and undervalued service together whilst actively fighting for your future and the safety of Western Australia.🎈🚒Thank you to you all once again 🚒🎈#thankyoufireys#thankafirefighter ... See MoreSee Less

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United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

3 weeks ago

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia
𝟔𝐏𝐑 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰Secretary John Marsh speaks with 6PR Perth's Jamie Burnett about the current Enterprise Bargaining environment, ongoing implications and associated timelines. To summarise things a little differently, here's an analogy from one of our Senior Firefighters in Perth's northern suburbs:"This entire situation is like asking your parents for a dog that you could go running with to increase your fitness, mental wellbeing and to gain some companionship from because your brother hates running and your friends live too far away.""But when your birthday finally rolls around, they present you with a companion goldfish instead.""The point has been missed. You weren't arbitrarily asking for a pet. You were seeking something specific to address an identified, evidence based need. You're not unappreciative of your new goldfish per se, but it wasn't what you asked for, isn't what you need and won't actually fix the problem you took to your parents in the first place.""WA Labor keeps trying to give us goldfish, but you can't go running with a goldfish. It's not a fit for purpose offer..."We've been Fighting For Our Future for over a year, and may need to continue to do so for years to come.The Fighting Needs to Stop.#FightingForOurFuture ... See MoreSee Less

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United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

3 weeks ago

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia
𝐀𝐁𝐂 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝟐𝟒 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔Union President Al Crossman and Secretary John Marsh spoke with ABC Perth's Ollie Peterson yesterday about the ongoing issues of wages, conditions, health and wellness, staffing and emerging risks.Let us be completely clear in response to ongoing WA Labor rhetoric. We do not dispute that a headline offer of 5%, 4% and 3.75% has been provided, which they estimate to be worth around $17,000 over the next three years.However, the United Professional Firefighters Union of WA has consistently outlined that the base wages of the entire Career Fire and Rescue Service are problematic and that offering a standardised percentage does not effectively address:📉 Base wage attrition, hidden by the annualised wage structure and a lack of wage transparency.👥 The loss of wage relativity or contact between the Career Fire and Rescue Service and the rest of the WA Public Sector.🪜 Band or rank compression, where Station Officers no longer receive a wage sufficiently different to Senior Firefighters, for example.📏 Changes in workplace expectations, capabilities and roles, altering work value and impacting the appropriateness of wages in relation to the role performed.Offering a standardised percentage does not address the claims submitted by us, fails to meet objectives identified in Public Sector Wages Policy, and only serves as evidence that no genuine intent exists to understand (or fix) the issues of our workforce or bargain in good faith.Thank you to ABC Perth for affording us the opportunity to talk about the issues of WA's Career Fire and Rescue Service.These issues are real, they're having an impact, they're affecting Firefighter wellbeing and community safety, and are why we are Fighting for Our Future.And the Fighting Needs to Stop.#FightingForOurFuture ... See MoreSee Less

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United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

3 weeks ago

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia
𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭: 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐁𝐂 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝟏𝟎𝟐.𝟓 𝐅𝐌 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝐩𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 The Union has commenced a series of media interviews, which started with a Press Conference at Parliament House this morning and will include coverage on ABC Perth Radio - 102.5FM - after 4pm.Concerned members of our communities, Firefighters, colleagues, friends and families are encouraged to listen and call in with their thoughts regarding the issuing of Enterprise Orders in response to the shortcomings of the Enterprise Bargaining process.It's time for the WA Career Fire and Rescue Service to be supported appropriately and receive a fair go. #FightingForOurFuture ... See MoreSee Less

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