Tasmanian firefighters have knocked back a 3% pay rise from the state government and accused it of stripping away basic workplace rights.
The United Firefighters Union says the one-year offer falls short of addressing key issues raised during six months of stalled negotiations.
Union secretary Leigh Hills said the government was exploiting “a legal loophole” to block workers from seeking independent arbitration through the Tasmanian Industrial Commission.
“This is a fundamental right that is enshrined in the Industrial Relations Act 1984, but the government is seeking to use a legal loophole to strip workers of this right,” he said.
The proposed agreement would require government approval before the union could apply to update the Fire Fighting Industrial Employees Award.
Hills accused the government of undermining “the rule of law and the common law principles of natural justice”.
“The government’s offer fails to deal with any employer or union claims that have been discussed in negotiations so far,” he said.
“It’s a 12-month agreement with a 3% pay increase, which falls well short of average wage increases in other states and Tasmanian workplaces.”
A government spokesperson defended the offer, saying the 3% increase was “fair, reasonable and affordable” and “well above” Tasmania’s 1.7% inflation rate.
“The one-year rollover agreement allows for TSS employees to receive a fair pay increase, while also providing sufficient time for longer-term agreements to be reached,” the spokesperson said.
The standoff is part of wider industrial negotiations covering 16 agreements and 36,000 state service employees.
The Tasmanian Police Association also rejected the offer, last week saying it would result in nominal increases in pay for junior constables and do nothing to grow the workforce.
