In a dramatic reversal of her predecessor’s policy, Premier Jacinta Allan is seeking to dismantle the far-reaching control the United Firefighters Union (UFU) has held over Victoria’s fire services since 2014.
The Allan government has lodged a submission with the Fair Work Commission to amend enterprise agreement clauses that currently allow the UFU to effectively veto changes in Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV), including decisions on staffing, training, uniforms, and equipment.
These powers, granted during Daniel Andrews’ premiership, have long been criticised by fire chiefs and emergency management officials as obstructive. Former Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett resigned in protest at the time, and the controversy triggered a major political and corruption investigation.
Now, Emergency Services Minister Vicki Ward, backed by FRV, is urging industrial authorities to allow management to implement policy changes without needing union consent. The government is also offering firefighters a 12% wage rise over four years—far below the 25.9% retrospective increase demanded by the UFU.
The submission also opposes a union proposal to create a new registration board that would give UFU the authority to determine who qualifies as a firefighter in Victoria.
This move comes after scathing findings from the Fire Services Implementation Monitor, Niall Blair, who warned that the “consult and agree” clause had severely undermined operational autonomy within FRV.
The Allan government insists the proposed changes will not reduce firefighter numbers or pay. Instead, it argues they are essential for restoring proper governance and curbing union overreach.
With negotiations stalled for three years, the dispute is now before the Fair Work Commission in what is set to become Victoria’s first intractable bargaining case.
The outcome could redefine industrial relations within the state’s emergency services, reigniting a political battle that first erupted nearly a decade ago.
