Fightfighters face sack in shift row
FIREFIGHTERS in Skegness are among 112 in Lincolnshire facing the sack as of February 1, 2010.
All of the county's full time firefighters will be made redundant and immediately offered new contracts binding them to a new way of working.
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Facing the sack: Firefighters are to be made redundant and immediately offered new contracts binding them to a new way of working.
Those that don't accept the new terms and conditions of work will dismiss themselves from the service.
There are 14 firefighters at the Skegness station who will be affected by the move by Lincolnshire County Council. A 90-day consultation period between the authority and the Lincolnshire Fire Brigade's Union (FBU) began last week.
The union and the county council have been in dispute over the issue since 2002.
The changes will introduce a new shift system where the length of the working week remains the same, but instead of 8am to 5.30pm, the new shift would be from noon to 10pm.
Local retained crews will not be affected by the changes.
One concern raised by the FBU is that new shifts may deter women from the service due to childcare implications.
Chris Hides, Lincolnshire FBU chairman said: "To impose change in this manner without agreement is extremely foolhardy and there is no guarantee that firefighters will take up the new contract.
"Firefighters feel they are being forced to work a system that is far worse than the current shift system."
He went on to claim: "With no agreement, up to 50 whole time firefighters will not be giving night time cover at the day-crewed stations.
"This will leave Lincolnshire without the required standard of fire cover in Skegness, Gainsborough, Grantham, and Boston."
Cllr Peter Robinson, Lincolnshire County Council's executive councillor for community safety it was very sad that this impasse had been reached after so much negotiation but that the changes were a response to help improve the service offered in Lincolnshire.
He said: "We have moved forward significantly in recent years in terms of identifying where the risk of fires, emergencies and road traffic accidents is greatest. We must tailor our fire prevention and response effort to match the risk profile. The new shift will contribute to this process."
2 Comments
by Tom Steel, Bray
Friday, July 31 2009, 11:47AM
“Do these managers and councillors not realise that these firefighters have families. What happens to the firefighters kids while their parents are at work until 10pm. Some firefighters are single parents, how will they co?, oh yeah the councillors don't care because they think these selfless people are political pawns for them to play with. No wonder kids run wild in the streets taking drugs and drinking if Mum and Dad are forced to be at work until 10pm. Just proves what a bunch of idiots who don't understand the real world our political classes are. They are a disgrace and the public should back their firefighters and throw out any pseudo politician or Brigade manager who tries to enforce this abomination.”
by Wolvie, Warwickshire
Thursday, July 30 2009, 4:52AM
“Seems apparent that everyone is using these means to change employess T & C's, the government has made this option viable and in the middle of a recession employee's have either the option of accepting them or facing being out of work. Its a disgrace and something needs to be done.
Fire Authorities all over the country are suffering because of poor funding with many frontline appliances being removed from stations, this means lesser firefighters over bigger areas. Obviously the implications do not need to be said here. What it needs is for every council tax payer to lobby their MP and get them to stop the drain of the Regional Control centres, that have so far cost in excess of £1.5 billion pounds and are still 2 years off.
Remember everyone that when you call for a Fire Engine thats exactly what you get, if Fire Authorities have their way you will get a couple of fire fighters turn up in a 4 wheel drive to your house fire only to tell you that now they know its not a false alarm they can despatch the fire engine.
THE PUBLIC NEED TO ACT NOW”