AUXILIARY UPDATE : 02 april 2024

5.75% WAGE RISE FOR AUXILIARY FIREFIGHTERS

Throughout the second half of 2023, your union provided multiple inputs (through the Queensland Council of Unions) to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) State Wage Case (SWC) hearings to ensure your work was considered by the QIRC in deciding on what wage rise (if any) to apply to Queensland Modern Awards for 2023.

I am pleased to finally report that a wage rise Order has been published by the QIRC.  The 2023 order and other documents published by the QIRC were delayed by a long legal hearing about a particular section of the Industrial Relations Act – 2016 (Qld) that had no bearing on you and your award rates of pay. But unfortunately, until that legal matter was resolved, the wage rise Order could not be made.

You can find the Order regarding the Decision here.

In short, the good news is you will receive a 5.75% wage rise to the minimum base hourly rates listed at 12(a) of the Auxiliary Firefighters’ Award – State 2016 (the award).

I am also pleased to advise that despite the lengthy delay, the QIRC has ordered that the wage rise is backdated to 1 September 2023, so your union will hold discussions with QFES and QSS and inform you as soon as we can about when you might expect any backpay of the increase in your wages owing to you for the work you’ve been paid for since 1 September 2023.

Along with the wage rise, clause 15.5 of the award provides for adjustments to the following allowances and entitlements at the same time as the SWC wage rise as per the Order –
15.1 Captains’ allowance
15.3 On call allowance.
15.4 Retention allowance.

Note that there is also a calculation required to adjust the allowance provided for at 15.2 (motor vehicle allowance).  That adjustment requires a different method outside of the 5.75% required by the Order. The QIRC adjusts all four allowances along with the minimum base rates and provides an updated copy of the award published on their website.

You can find a current copy of the award here. 

Note: The award on the QIRC website does NOT include the new wage and allowance adjustments resulting from the 2023 Order.  An updated copy of the award will be published on the QIRC website in the near future.

Your union will continue to work with your elected representatives (Brendan Gigante (Northern representative) and Ben Phipps (Southern representative)) on your terms and conditions of employment. We encourage you to contact your representative if you have anything to say or ask about your role as an Auxiliary firefighter.  You can find your representative’s contact details here.

John Oliver - General Secretary