The lack of funding support from the Baillieu Government and bad faith bargaining was treating the SES as a second-class emergency response, CPSU Victorian Secretary Karen Batt said today.

Ms Batt said, ‘VicSES professionals will circle Parliament House at lunchtime today in their vehicles to protest Government delays in responding to the emergency situation facing staff.’

‘After waiting almost eleven months, VicSES professionals are fed up with the lack of urgency being shown towards adopting a very simple solution to resolve their dispute,’ she said.

VicSES employ just over 100 professionals who coordinate, resource, and train our volunteer brigades.

Ms Batt said, ‘it was not uncommon for VicSES staff to be paid as much as $30,000 a year less than those performing similar roles at the CFA.’

‘This disparity meant the difference when trying to retain key experienced personnel.’

‘VicSES professionals are another group in a long list of public sector employees whose Agreements all expired last June while the Baillieu Government is paralysed with its decision making and sits on its hands.’

‘Peter Ryan won’t let Mary Barry agree to commit to fund the outcome of an independent review of VicSES work compared to CFA professionals.’

‘That’d fix our dispute,’ she said.  

MEDIA COMMENT:

CPSU State Secretary Karen Batt will hold a press conference outside Parliament House at the southern end of the driveway from 1PM today, Wednesday 23 May 2012, with VicSES staff and volunteers while Parliament House is circled by emergency vehicles.

Karen Batt is available on 0418 55 29 25.

Wednesday 23 May 2012