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The Forum > Article Comments > Fighting fires or fighting male hegemony? > Comments

Fighting fires or fighting male hegemony? : Comments

By Dave Baigent, published 26/3/2010

When women enter a workplace where men rule there is often resistance and firefighting is no exception.

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It is a shame to see attempts by the MFB to diversify its workforce become a casuality of indusrial war waged by the United Firefighters Union. I have done some casual work with the MFB and got a glimpse into the culture. I salute anyone who tries to make any changes. It is such a controlled workforce and not by management but by its union which has done a lot of damage to keep the organisation in the dark ages. Recent media reports demonstrate the extent to which the UFU is prepared to go to thwart any attempts intended to bring the MFB into the 21st century. Why would a union oppose diversity initiatives, one would ask? Try and ask that to the UFU and good luck if you can make any sense out of their convoluted answers.
Posted by Sania, Wednesday, 31 March 2010 10:53:02 AM
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A welcome article. As a refugee from the very hegemonic organisation described here everything, and more, is true. I note with interest the hugely inane and desperate measures of the detractors of the article.
There is not only extraordinarily little representation by any other than white males in this group, but there is such enormous resistance to any other than white males gaining traction in the organisation. Career paths are openly denied. And should a male show even the slightest empathy, then their career paths are under threat also.
There should be more articles pointing out inequities in employment, and the unions and other supporters should be called to account more frequently. Personally I am tired of the ridiculous justifications for acting the way they do. They are merely pointing out their own very severe limitations.
Posted by arcticdog, Wednesday, 31 March 2010 12:12:46 PM
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The white privileged forces of our community have demonstrated that when an inch of their privileged status is threatened they will go to war. And they did by opposing the MFB's attempts to introduce diversity into the ranks of its white male anglo-dominated workforce. The MFB is postponing its pre-employment training program in the hope that down the track the sheer resistance to it will somehow subside. But with an organised force such as the UFU, able to threaten a minister and get away with it, affect elections outcomes and blackmail politicians, what hope have migrant and Aboriginal aspirant firefighters in ever entering or being accepted into such environment?
The whole MFB Board should have the guts to resign in protest of Government inactions and not just the President Adrian Nye.
Posted by Hec, Friday, 2 April 2010 8:30:13 AM
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I was intrigued to read about this year’s winners of equal opportunity awards targeting women. The list of winning organisations can be found at the following website:

http://www.australianwomenonline.com/eowa-announces-winners-of-equal-opportunity-awards/#more-16062

I don’t imagine that any of the women who have benefited from such programs will turn against their organisations and the staff who developed these programs and attack them, or accuse them of reverse discrimination, or join hands with their male colleagues and ask their bosses to treat them all the same.

I hope the MFB's female firefighters regain their senses and stand up for women's rights in the workplace and stop acting against their own interests. Their actions have implications beyond the immediate impact on their life at the fire station level. Their actions have denied other women and minority groups the opportunity to gain access to firefighting as a career. To turn against their own organisation and the policies intended to benefit all in the workplace is indicative of a deeply held fear of being ostracised and bullied by their colleagues. But there is a time when one needs to stand up for what is right rather than what is convenient for them
Posted by Dora, Saturday, 3 April 2010 9:42:07 AM
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