Union delegates from all three emergency services today delivered a strong and united message to the State Government, vowing to resist its proposed merger of ESSS with the heavily-indebted Government Superannuation Office (GSO).

Among the four resolutions carried unanimously by today's forum of combined emergency services union delegates was the consideration of a rally of emergency services workers and industrial action if this issue continued to remain at a stalemate.

In several meetings held between the parties last week, the emergency services unions sought a high level of comfort from the Finance Minister, Mr Lenders, that the superannuation entitlements of current, retired, and future emergency services workers would not be compromised if ESSS merged with GSO. Unfortunately, the emergency services unions have not, to date, received the desired level of comfort.

The resolutions, carried unanimously by the emergency services delegates, included the following;

1. "THIS COMBINED MEETING OF EMERGENCY SERVICES UNIONS REJECTS THE PROPOSAL OF THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT TO MERGE THE EMERGENCY SERVICES SUPERANNUATION SCHEME (ESSS) WITH THE GOVERNMENT SUPERANNUATION OFFICE (GSO)". 

2. "THIS COMBINED MEETING OF EMERGENCY SERVICES UNIONS IS NOT SATISFIED THAT THE PROPOSED MERGER IS BASED ON SOUND FINANCIAL REASONING OR A THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF ANY SAVINGS AND POTENTIAL RISKS.  THIS MEETING THEREFORE CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE ALL PROCESSES REGARDING THE PROPOSED MERGER AND FURTHER CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT TO UNDERTAKE A THOROUGH ANALYSIS PRIOR TO ANY FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSAL TO MERGE ESSS AND GSO."

3. "THIS MEETING CALLS ON THE MINISTER FOR POLICE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE EMERGENCY SERVICES UNIONS IN THEIR CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT THE MERGER OF ESSS AND GSO."

4. "IN THE ABSENCE OF A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION TO THE CURRENT DISPUTE, THIS COMBINED MEETING OF EMERGENCY SERVICES UNIONS CALLS FOR A RALLY OF EMERGENCY SERVICES WORKERS TO BE HELD ON SUNDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2005 AND FURTHER THAT AT THE RALLY CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO THE TAKING OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION AND THE CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF THE MINISTER FOR FINANCE, MR JOHN LENDERS".

Members will be updated of the outcome of further talks between the parties and on plans for a rally of all emergency services workers to take place on Sunday 25 September 2005 should this matter continue to remain unresolved.
      
Paul Mullett                     Peter Marshall                  Steve McGhie
Secretary                        Secretary                          Secretary
The Police Association     United Firefighters Union    Ambulance Employees Union