Firemans industrial action

[Smokinbarrels]

People seem to be having a pop at the Fire Service but what does the RAF Fire Service do all day and all night........Nowt!

 

[Kryten]

People seem to be having a pop at the Fire Service but what does the RAF Fire Service do all day and all night........Nowt!

No, but at least the RAF Fire Service don't go on strike over a Christmas period just before a major war and expect other members of the Armed Forces to cover them while they moan about not getting their ridiculously high pay claim.....


Feckin unions....

 

[R_Squared]

People seem to be having a pop at the Fire Service but what does the RAF Fire Service do all day and all night........Nowt!

You obviously have no working knowledge of the RAF fire service if you come out with that.

Admittedly, their tea breaks are a little longer than those enjoyed by TG17 but there is a very good reason for them to be mooching about the Crash bay doing "nowt".

 

[firestorm]

I'm not having a dig at the inactivity or otherwise of RAF firefighters. I was one.
I was simply explaining why the firefighters in S.Yorks (I'm a London firefighter) were taking this action as there seems to be so much confusion and hatred towards them.
Its really hard to compare the jobs of civvy and RAF firefighters as they are so different.

 

[Dave-exfairy]

Oh thats OK then. Of course the tragic death of Police officers never makes the news does it? Neither does the tragic death of service personnel at war?
Its the media that reports such events, not firefighters.
What would you say making a "big thing" was? A funeral with honours? I'd like to know. I can name occasions were a firefighter has been killed and it hardly warrants a mention in the press.

I think you're being a bit harsh there Firestorm, Obviously I don't have intimate knowledge unlike you, but I seem to recall quite a few being mentioned in the news.
Have a look at the Police Memorial Roll and you might be surprised how many bobbies have been killed in the last few years.

 

[firestorm]

Oh I know the tragic cost plod pays in the line of duty Dave. I was reacting to GD on Wheels post saying , "the fire service on occasions likes to make a big thing of the tragic deaths that occur".
I asked for an example but haven't seen one.

 

[Captain Gatso]

It's been ages since I decided to post my feelings on somethng, due to work of all things. However this subject stirrs alot of feelings for me, since it was covering for the last little tit for tat between the goverment and the FBU that started me thinking to quit the RAF.

I can't beleive that some elements of the fire service are thinking of having another go, waving the strike stick around. With everyone out here in civvy street, without a job and families really struggling to survive, it throws in the face of logic in my mind.

I currently work a five day permanant night shift with a regular sixth day on overtime. My shift hours usually tally up to 66 hours a week, including the hour commute, to and from work. At the moment I am lucky to get two days off, but you know, I won't kick up a fuss about it as I am one of the lucky ones to have a job at the moment.

I think there would be loads of people out there who would tear off thier right arms to get a job in the fire service. If folks in the Fire service are that grieved with whats going, take a step back and have a thought for those people who don't have jobs. As they would take any contract offerd to them, to get a meal on the table and a roof over thier heads.

It's a tough world out here and the goverment could just take a leaf out of Ronald Regans book and sack strickers and replace them with new people. The power to strike is a strong weapon but beware of it blowing up in peoples faces if used too often.

 

[firestorm]

So you'd be OK if your employer gradually eroded your conditions of service? Your employer enforced changes that would cost you money and erode your family life and you'd just continue to let it slide?
Yes its a tough world out here, but is that an excuse to let people keep taking from you while they enhance what they have? To let them make changes that end up making your job riskier?
When would you say that enough was enough, remembering that you've invested thousands of pounds of your own money and your families future and indeed your retirement? Or would you just keep accepting the demands placed on you and shrug your shoulders?

As a footnote. If the government was to sack say the entire workforce of Kent Fire Brigade, it would take 11 years to get to the standard of competency they have now.

 

[Tabber]

"So you'd be OK if your employer gradually eroded your conditions of service? Your employer enforced changes that would cost you money and erode your family life and you'd just continue to let it slide?"

Sounds like the military and there is hee haw we can do about it. After the last fire strike guys were coming of fire duty and being deployed immediately on Ops - by the way they were getting less money than firemen for this privilage. You are very fortunate but your colleagues should remember that they have a massive responsibility which shouldnt ever be subjugated.

 

[RAF Bird]

So you'd be OK if your employer gradually eroded your conditions of service? Your employer enforced changes that would cost you money and erode your family life and you'd just continue to let it slide?
Yes its a tough world out here, but is that an excuse to let people keep taking from you while they enhance what they have? To let them make changes that end up making your job riskier?
When would you say that enough was enough, remembering that you've invested thousands of pounds of your own money and your families future and indeed your retirement? Or would you just keep accepting the demands placed on you and shrug your shoulders?

As a footnote. If the government was to sack say the entire workforce of Kent Fire Brigade, it would take 11 years to get to the standard of competency they have now.

I'm sorry but how is changing your shift pattern making your job riskier??? Your grasping at straws there fella to try and justify basically being peed off that your not getting it as cushdy any more!!

 

[firestorm]

I'm sorry but how is changing your shift pattern making your job riskier??? Your grasping at straws there fella to try and justify basically being peed off that your not getting it as cushdy any more!!

As I've said before on this thread, the shift changes in S.Yorks don't affect me as I'm a London firefighter.
I'll explain why our employers want to change to 12 hours shifts though.
At the moment we work various shifts, the commonest being 2x9 hour days and 2x15 hours nights. The employers want 12 hour shifts so they can equalise the shift pattern. Then instead of 2 days and 2 nights they can enforce 3 days 1 night or 4 days no nights without affecting the basic contractual 42 hour week. They have already stated this. They'd rather us work on community initiatives rather than operational response and these are better suited to day shifts.
This enables them to reduce fire cover on nights by either reducing crewing or closing stations. Nights are when the biggest fires occur and when most fatalities happen. The genius answer to this? Reduce the amount of resources at these times so you'll end up working without back up for longer periods of time. This is dangerous.
We've already seen establishment levels decrease and at the same time we've had a big increase in the number of firefighters killed and injured.
Is that grasping at straws or in fact the harsh realisation that cuts fall all across the public purse, not just the military. Do you honestly think we have it "cushdy" when we're run by politicians both nationally and locally? Do you think they'd let us get paid for nothing? We have far greater interference by politicians than you'd ever imagine.