Crown Employees (Fire and Rescue NSW Retained Firefighting Staff) Award 2014 [2014] NSWIRComm 33

Industrial Relations Commission New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Crown Employees (Fire and Rescue NSW Retained Firefighting Staff) Award 2014 [2014] NSWIRComm 33 Hearing dates: 10 May, 17 July, 26 August, 4 and 20 September, 31 October, 20 November 2013; 5, 12, 20, 21, 26 and 28 February, 21 and 26 March, 1 and 16 April and 9 May 2014 Decision date: 20 June 2014 Jurisdiction: Industrial Relations Commission Before: Walton J, President Decision: The Commission confirms the order made on 9 May last to make a new award known as the Crown Employees (Fire and Rescue NSW Retained Firefighting Staff) Award 2014 in terms of the amended application appearing in Annexure A to the affidavit of Ms Lawrence filed on 8 May 2014 in the proceedings. Catchwords: Award - application for a new retained firefighters award - reasons for decision - exceptional circumstances - lengthy conciliation process and partial 'Bluescope' arbitration - 100 year reform - increase in remuneration above 2.5 per cent - cl 6(1)(b) of Industrial Relations (Public Sector Conditions of Employment) Regulation 2011 - employee-related savings -savings fully offset increase above 2.5 per cent - nature of changes to award - improvements in efficiency and benefits to the community - interest-based bargaining - milestone for industry - new award confirmed Legislation Cited: Industrial Relations (Public Sector Conditions of Employment) Regulation 2011 Cases Cited: Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (New South Wales Branch) and Macquarie Generation [2009] NSWIRComm 160 Operational Ambulance Officers (State) Award and others [2008] NSWIRComm 168 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Fire Brigade Employees' Union of New South Wales (Applicant) Fire & Rescue NSW (First respondent) Secretary of the Treasury (Second respondent) Representation: J W Nolan (Applicant) M J Easton (Second respondent) C S Read - Senior Industrial Officer, Fire Brigade Employees' Union of New South Wales (Applicant) B H King - Assistant Director, Employee Relations, Fire & Rescue NSW (First respondent) P J Robinson - Crown Solicitor's Office (Second respondent) File Number(s): IRC 134 of 2013