Tony Abbott says a controversial pay deal that will give the firefighters union control over the CFA is a sign that the Victorian government is putting unions instead of people first.
The former prime minister - a volunteer firefighter in Sydney - said the new pay deal would hand the United Firefighters Union too much power.
"This, if it goes ahead, is a union takeover of volunteer firefighting in Victoria and this will be a disaster for the country communities in particular, which absolutely depend upon the CFA and its volunteers," the former federal Liberal leader told 3AW on Thursday.
But union secretary Peter Marshall said the deal was being misrepresented.
"All firefighters are becoming very increasingly frustrated with the increasing demonisation and vilification by some MPs and sections of the media," Mr Marshall said.
He said so-called "veto clauses" were actually about consultation, and a dispute resolution officer would handle problems.
Premier Daniel Andrews sacked the CFA board last week to push through a deal with the union, despite the state government's own lawyers saying the agreement was unlawful.
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