Photosales
niJobfinder
niCarfinder
Home Delivery
Propertynews
1,000 of our firefighters could be lost to EU rule
Monday, 23 February 2009
Northern Ireland’s fire service risks losing almost 1,000 firefighters if a controversial European Union directive is imposed on the UK, campaigners have warned.
Moves to force Britain to adopt the European Working Time Directive would, they claim, leave the part-time, retained fire service “unviable” because it would be illegal for anyone to work for more than 48 hours a week.
The service has over 1,000 retained firefighters currently, many of whom hold down full-time day jobs on top of their commitment to the fire service.
And today, the Fire Brigades Union urged politicians across Northern Ireland to ensure that a collective opt-out clause from the directive will be maintained so that retained firefighters will be able to continue working legally for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, as well as in their primary employment.
Executive council member of the FBU Jim Barbour said: “There is a concern locally that many part-time retained officers will have to go.
“We would be in favour of a retention of a collective opt out for members and we would call on politicians here, whether that be through the Assembly, at Westminster or the European Parliament, to ensure that happens.
“We are looking at radical financial implications. A decision being made as soon as April which would mean that the part-time officers no longer able to work would have to be replaced with full time firefighters and this would take a huge amount of time and money and it isn’t possible to do that. It would mean a complete overhaul of the budget and in the current financial climate it just isn’t possible.”
London Employment Minister Pat McFadden admitted it would have an impact on the service. He told the MPs: “On the working hours of retained firefighters, my information is that about 10% of firefighters who work in the retained duty system already work 49 hours or more for their primary employer, and a further 25% work between 41 and 48 hours.
There is a concern that part-time retained officers will have to go
“It is clear what effect the opt-out could have on that group of workers.”
Of the 68 fire stations in Northern Ireland 46 are staffed on a purely retained basis.
It is not clear how many of the retained firefighters would be forced to quit as some may only work a low number of hours in their day jobs and be on retainer for a quiet fire station but it is expected to have a significant impact, campaigners fear.
Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrats’ Northern Ireland spokesman, said: “The position of retained firefighters is an excellent example of how the working time directive could have a very severe effect on one of the most important public services.
“This is particularly acute in rural areas but will affect communities the length and breadth of the UK, both rural and urban. The working time directive would be a threat to the viability of this service, and the provision of firefighters could be fatally undermined.”
A Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service spokeswoman said: “Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) is currently considering the implications of the changes to the Working Time Directive due in 2012 on its Retained (part-time) workforce.
“This is an important national issue for the whole of the UK Fire Service and KNIFES through the Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA) has for some time expressed its concern over the potential impact of the recent decisions in Europe to remove the UK opt-out from the Working Time Directive.
“Once again, a European Directive has largely overlooked the effect on the fire and rescue service and, in particular, on the retained service who provide a significant portion of emergency cover throughout the UK.
“CFOA is continuing to press Government to recognise the urgency and significance of the situation and has been encouraged in recent meetings that Government are taking this matter seriously and are looking for a solution.”
- Text Size
Comments
24 Comments
Here here Mark, I too am a retained(part time)FF, i carry my aleter 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, leave my wife and kids at the most awkard times of the day and night, at weekends, christmas day and when heading for a day out.
many many times they have been left sitting in the car at the front of the station when I head out on a call, when the likes of Fred and Hugh can drive on past and spend time with there families, or do whatever they do.
It,s the ignorant people in our society that do not understand our commitment, the kind that come on Radio phone in show's or leave comments on here running us down
To the ignorant ones reading this, would you devote 24/7 to YOUR community for 10K a year, I THINK NOT!!
Posted by angry retained fire fighter | 24.02.09, 13:48 GMT
To clear up a few misconceptions, retained firefighters HAVE to have another job to survive. We get a small retaining fee (about £2k / year) and about £15 per call out we attend. We DONT sit around at the fire station waiting for calls, drinking tea or "polishing the pole", we get called in by pager when an emergency comes in for our area and we have 4 minutes to report to the fire station and get the engine on route to the call. A retained ff is lucky to make £7k a year, many make much less.
Posted by Mark | 24.02.09, 10:44 GMT
Who is going to tell the workaholic Peter Robinson that he is legally limited to a 48 hr week?
Another nonsense suggestion from the EU, part-time firefighters are essential to an already over stretched organisation.
Does anyone know what the position is in other EU countries, surely they too have part-time firefighters and other essential workers?
Posted by Brian | 23.02.09, 23:05 GMT
The usual daft interfering nonsense coming from Europe. Wreck a system that has worked perfectly well for years and in the process alienate the local men who were prepared to give their lives for the community.
Posted by T J McClean | 23.02.09, 22:11 GMT
most of the time these so-called firefighters are collecting for charity and rescuing cats out of trees, surely in this day and age and the advent of micro-chips, we don't need as many of them!!!!
Posted by Big Stu | 23.02.09, 18:56 GMT
hugh i take it the job you had wasn't an english teacher! Good luck to you when you house burns down and you've noone to put the fire out!
Posted by Rachel | 23.02.09, 16:41 GMT
there are some pretty ridiculous comments on here. uniformed and naive if you think being a fireman is just playing pull and polishing your pole. Especially when poles are no longer even used. its the same old story. if your house was buring down youd be over the moon to see us arrive, but when its not you, the attitude is completly different. Imagine your joy if your entire life is going up in smoke but the fire brigade cant make it because there is noone available after you supported the reduction in their numbers. Course then you would probly just complain that they wernt doing their jobs properly. Some people just love to jump on the complainers wagon no matter how serious the issue and how uniformed they are
Posted by angry man | 23.02.09, 16:26 GMT
Fred and Hugh, I would suggest, have at sometime been rejected from applying to the fire service. I don't pretend to be a physcologist, but the bitterness evolving from their respective responses leaves a lot to be desired.
Over many years of trouble the fire service have been at the front of extreme violence some of which is still directed at them today.
They do not receive salaries that are commensurate with the duties that they perform, and one needs to realise, that they do not sit around, play pool and drink tea all day. Many have to study hard for exams, degrees etc to ensure valid competencies in order to continue serving the general public to the level of standards expected from the rate payers of Northern Ireland
Posted by Túrlough | 23.02.09, 16:02 GMT
48 hours a week is enough for anyone to work.
standards of living should be manitained by having a decent minimum wage. As a society, we seem to treat those who refuse to work better than those that want to, and that must change. People working these extra hours are effectively taking up 2 jobs, and as a result allowing themselves to be taken advantage of by some employers.
This is especially relevent to parents and the development of children. They need more time to spend with their kids and bring them up by being present and interacting with them, not leaving notes on the fridge!
Posted by Patrick | 23.02.09, 15:09 GMT
Let's be clear, firemen spend some of their time sitting about, waiting for the call, but they do spend time training, either on equipment or keeping fit so that they are at their peak of physical fitness when they are needed.
Furthermore, before the slagging of firemen continues, I for one do not envy their job, dealing with fatalities in fires, or cutting people out of wreckage. They are to be commended, not ridiculed.
Posted by cd | 23.02.09, 15:05 GMT
It is my understanding that the directive means people cannot be FORCED to work more than 48 hours but are free to do so if they wish??
Posted by Baron Stefan von Heinrich | 23.02.09, 15:00 GMT
I agree that it needs looked at but at the same time I guess why should we be any different if we're meant to be in Europe its the same with our money situation.
Posted by Kerry | 23.02.09, 13:57 GMT
We dont have enough full time firefighters so lets not knock the part-timers. If your house is on fire you want a firefighter - you dont care who. The last thing you want is to watch your house or worse a loved one burn because there are no firefighters in the area. EU regs are made for people with well paid office type jobs which can have set hours.
Posted by Anom | 23.02.09, 13:01 GMT
How Does this legislation affect the following organisations , we know it will be disatrous for fire cover but shall it also affect the territorial army , ambulance and police both here in Ulster and in the Republic .
Posted by SAIGEADOIR COLLAC ABU | 23.02.09, 12:54 GMT
Fred and Hugh....I'll bet you wouldn't be doing as much moaning if these guys had to come and pull you out of your burning house!!!
Posted by Baron Stefan von Heinrich | 23.02.09, 12:47 GMT
Hugh Glenn thats the worst comment I've ever had the misfortune to read! Not just the content - which is totally ridiculous - but the awful spelling and the way you try to construct sentences.
Posted by Simpson | 23.02.09, 12:32 GMT
Use the guys who play pool, drink tea and wash fire engines all day to fill the gap and that will be it sorted
Posted by Kevie | 23.02.09, 12:26 GMT
Just how many firefighters work constant for 48 hours a week plus? Can their be that many rescues to keep them working non stop? They must also spend a lot of time sitting around, polishing their engines or cleaning thier poles. What is the average percentage of work time they do actual physical work? Bring back Trumpton, they never went on strike!
Posted by Tommy | 23.02.09, 12:22 GMT
Is this not the knock on impact of NOT using full time firefighters instead of depending on part timers whose primary income is elsewhere?
Posted by Laura | 23.02.09, 11:46 GMT
Let me get this correct. Fire-fighters have a very physical job. Their unions and they should or ought to know that tiredness will either endanger them, their colleagues or others; but yet they want to work in excess of a 48-hour week? Putting this health and safety issue to one side, which alone would ban the practice or suggest a failure of risk assessment done by the employer a worker can always voluntarily opt out of such measures. No doubt the unions have stated as much.
Posted by ZoonPol | 23.02.09, 11:37 GMT
24 Comments