VOLUNTEER Fire Brigades Victoria has won a Supreme Court injunction against a paid firefighter vote on a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement.
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Volunteers took legal action this month against the deal between the state government and the United Firefighters Union because they claimed it interfered with their duties.
Volunteers have also claimed the new workplace agreement would discriminate against women and people with a disability who wanted to become part-time firefighters.
The Supreme Court made its decision on Wednesday morning and the matter will proceed to trial.
It is expected the matter will return to court in late September.
The union has said the deal would enhance the safety of its members and the community.
Volunteer brigades District 17 state councillor Maurice Dumesny said Wimmera firefighters would definitely welcome news of the legal win.
”It’s a point in our corner, but we have a long way to go yet” he said.
“The federal government has also got wheels in motion to support us when it heads back to Parliament.
“Hopefully things might have turned around for us.”
Volunteer brigades Stawell board member Mick Nunweek said the court decision was good for volunteer firefighters and for the safety of Victorians.
“It shows that we were right to not want the veto powers and the discrimination against women and people with a disability,” he said.
“We are not against the new agreement, we just want those parts removed.
“It’s a shame we had to go to court in an attempt to get that done.”
District 16 volunteer brigades committee president and Ararat firefighter Peter Hannon said it was very disappointing that the state government was not prepared to listen to volunteers.
“The court injunction would be good news if the state government decides to listen to our concerns,” he said.
“On of my major issues is how the administrative support officer and volunteers support officer roles are being taken over by the union.
“We don’t have union members in District 16 and 17, they’d have to spend over an hour coming in from Ballarat, Bendigo or Warrnambool.”
Stuart Wood QC for the volunteers argued in court that the proposed deal would give an effective veto to the union over the Country Fire Authority chief officer's power.
So far the saga around the deal has resulted in the sacking of the authority board and resignations of emergency services minister Jane Garrett, authority chief executive Lucinda Nolan and chief officer Joe Buffone.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said the fire issue was a mess of the government's making.
"Volunteers have a right to be heard, their concerns are legitimate," Mr Guy said.
He said the government was committed to war with volunteers.
"Everyone is telling them that there is a problem, but they are not listening."
With Richard Willingham, Benjamin Preiss, The Age