CODE 2, VOL 35, NO 29 : 24 august 2021

MEDIA ARTICLE GROSSLY MISREPRESENTS BLUECARD STATISTICS FOR ‘FIRIES’

I know you’re aware that for some years your union has been working to maintain the identity and tradition of your professional firefighting roles.  This includes protecting your uniform, rank, insignia, the protection of the use of the red trucks, and so much more.  And it includes ensuring someone who is called a firefighter (or a firie) actually is one.

Today a media article grossly misrepresented the number of your colleagues who have failed to go through the Blue Card process, by mucking everyone who needs a Blue Card at QFES into a bucket and calling them all firies. If you have seen the article, you all know how very wrong it is.  To lump everyone together to sensationally say 200 firies have been sacked is either lazy, or deliberately demeaning to the respect and tradition of you and your colleagues.

The blame for the error in the article lies at the feet of QFES due to what appears to be a deliberate decision to repeatedly blur the lines between a professional firefighter and all others who work, or volunteer, for QFES.

The UFUQ state office is responding to this report and will work to correct the record.

Your union cannot and will not discuss any specifics relating to individual members and Blue Card matters. However, since the record is being corrected, I can report to you that amongst professional firefighter members of the UFUQ, over 99.5% of you hold a Blue Card, with the remainder working through the process.

John Oliver - General Secretary