SES workers to stop work over pay

Victorian SES employees have planned a 24‑hour stoppage from 9am to press management for better pay and conditions. They want pay rates that match their counterparts in other emergency services and are also seeking improved superannuation and conditions.

Most of the staff taking part are members of the Community Public Sector Union. They have been negotiating with SES management and have increased industrial action to try to win improved pay and conditions.

The article says SES employees have been negotiating with SES management for more than a year, and industrial action has ramped up recently to push those talks forward.

Yes. The article notes SES staff stopped work for a day in May, and earlier this month they also said they would refuse to attend events with Emergency Services Minister Peter Ryan until pay negotiations were settled.

According to the article, SES employees are paid less than their counterparts in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB), the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Victoria Police — which is a central point of the dispute.

Volunteer SES workers are not involved in the industrial action and, the article says, will continue to respond to call‑outs during the employee stoppage.

Staff said they would refuse to attend any events with Emergency Services Minister Peter Ryan until pay negotiations were settled, using that refusal as part of their industrial action to pressure for better pay and conditions.

The SES workers are seeking pay rates that match their counterparts in other emergency services, along with improved superannuation and better working conditions, as stated in the article.