The Metropolitan Fire Brigade and the firefighters' union have signed a new workplace agreement, ending a long-running industrial stand-off that has also been an open wound for the Andrews government.
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The president of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Andi Diamond, resigned on the spot after the deal was signed, the latest in a number of resignations among senior MFB staff and board members while the dispute dragged on through more than four years of bitter negotiation.
Ms Diamond, who was appointed in 2015, said she hoped the fire brigade could rebuild from the new agreement.
"I sincerely hope this is the beginning of rebuilding the organisation," Ms Diamond said in announcing to MFB staff that she had tendered her resignation to Emergency Services Minister James Merlino "with immediate effect".
The MFB board voted to accept the agreement by four votes to three.
Relations between MFB management and the firefighters have been characterised by a mutual culture of hostility.
Mr Merlino welcomed the agreement and said the industrial dispute had dragged on for far too long. "A key breakthrough in finally reaching the agreement was that for the first time fire agencies and the United Firefighters Union have agreed to work together to directly tackle culture and diversity issues," Mr Merlino said.
He said a new steering committee would oversee the development of initiatives to improve culture and diversity in Victoria's fire services.
The committee will include representatives of the MFB, the Country Fire Authority and the United Firefighters Union.
In line with federal legislation, the agreement will now be put to a vote of the workforce before being sent to the Fair Work Commission.
The Opposition's emergency services spokesman, Brad Battin, said the agreement was more evidence that "the Andrews government is morally corrupt".
"Daniel Andrews' behaviour is more like a dictator than a premier," he said.
Former emergency services minister Jane Garrett resigned from cabinet in 2016 after Mr Andrews intervened in the industrial dispute in a misfired attempt to put the dispute to rest.
Ms Garrett has said she was bullied by Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall during the negotiations.
Mr Marshall was contacted for comment.
