Daniel Andrews’ union allies demand massive money & power deal

The wage and condition demands by the United Firefighters Union represent potentially hundreds of millions of dollars that will ultimately come out of schools and hospitals across Victoria. 

These are extraordinary demands from one of Daniel Andrews’ closest allies – a union which worked so hard to get Daniel Andrews elected into power.

Victoria cannot afford to have sweeping powers of control over a vital service such as the Country Fire Authority handed over to a union.

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade has been hamstrung for years by absurd union demands and veto power, and we cannot afford to have the same happen to the CFA.

CFA volunteers warned before the election that Labor’s policy was to hand over control of the CFA to the union, and now the union is demanding delivery of that policy.

Victoria’s public sector workers are entitled to fair and reasonable pay rises for the work they do, but Labor should not be handing out massive and unaffordable pay rises at taxpayers’ expense as a payoff for political support.

This is a test for Daniel Andrews on whether his priorities lie with paying off his union mates for their support or with funding essential services like schools and hospitals.