CODE 2, VOL 35, NO 23 : 09 july 2021

QFES/SOU 17.5% - WHAT IS THE SOU QIRC APPLICATION ALL ABOUT?

It has been reported to me that SOU members are either possibly deliberately or probably accidentally creating confusion throughout the regions about the subject matter of their union’s application to the QIRC.

Reports have been received about instances of SOU members denying that the intent of their union’s application is to prevent you from receiving the 17.5%, suggesting that is it just confusion over the dates the 17.5% may apply from, and/or that the UFUQ are just blowing this out of proportion for some other reason.

This is either entirely inaccurate, or perhaps deliberate misinformation, potentially attempting to muddy the waters and the reputation of the UFUQ, and to abdicate responsibility for having caused you to lose an entitlement should their union’s application be successful.

If SOU members are familiar with the SOU’s QIRC application, they would know the facts. I have seen it. It was served upon us by the SOU’s lawyers out of the blue.

To remove all doubt, I’ll say it one more time as plainly and as simply as I can.

The Senior Officers Union (SOU) application is to prevent QFES providing the entitlement to you (most likely) because the SOU weren’t offered it by the state government. The SOU now want it and because they didn’t get it, they are willing to take it from you. In fact the fees from every SOU member from Inspector to Chief Superintendent are being spent to try and deny you this entitlement and the UFUQ is spending members money to see that you retain it.

This is a watershed moment in the UFUQ’s position with the SOU, and if their case is successful, your union will remind you every December (when you were to be paid) that the SOU members wanted to take that entitlement away from you.

More to come.

John Oliver - General Secretary