PG

I would like to ask you all to help the FireFighters and Control staff of the UK to achieve a fair days pay for a fair days work by signing this e petition http://www.30kfirepay.co.uk/sps/sps/comment.php

For those interested in the whole story... http://www.30kfirepay.co.uk/nextpage.php


"This is not about trade union militancy, it is about Professional Firefighters working 42 hours a week, risking their lives for the public and having to claim Working Families Tax Credits to make ends meet."
Andy Gilchrist, General Secretary FBU
23 July 2002

Sorry to get all political and thank you in advance

Paul

Little Miss WRX

<Just spotted a fireman mode on>
I will do anything for a fireman
</Lots of drooling over thought of oiled up fireman....mmmmm>

PS, have you got a photo?

Sorry In all seriousness...I have signed

MarkO

I'll be asking IanW for verification of that later.

PG

bros2

£30k for a firefighter?

Er, isn't there just the teensiest big of ****-taking here? I was an accountant for a good few years before I earned over £30k pa.

All right, not risking my life, but O levels, A levels, degree, professional exams afterwards .... I could harp on about the injustice of it, but I won't. The market sets the rates.

Same for firefighters - there are a lot of people who would join the fire service at the current wages, let alone £30k. So some fire fighters are claiming Working Families Tax Credit? So what - they chose to have kids, they have to accept what comes with it.

I don't mind a fair pay increase, but at a time when I'm struggling to pay more than a 2% pay increase to my staff (and we're a profitable company), it's a bit rich to see firefighters looking for a 43% pay rise .... which will get passed on the the council tax payers.

I will NOT be signing the petition

Bros

Little Miss WRX

I was maybe a tad hasty and excited when I posted that up, I might be wanting to revise the statement

AndiThompson

I've signed. Firefighters have my greatest respect, when everyone else is running away from a disaster, these are the brave lads and ladies are the ones running towards it.This guys do a tremendous job, risking their lives day in day out for everyone else, least we can do is pay them a decent wage.

PG

Each to their own Bros

I took a 9k drop in wages to become a FF. And yes it is a fair old hike in wage but the pay formula used to calculate our pay rise each year has left us trailing to many other occupations ie police constable (qualified)28k You would have to be a station officer to earn that in the fire service ! remember when most are running out we are running in !!
the job is no longer comparable to the blue collar sector on which our pay was based 25 years ago. there is now community fire safety, fire prevention, chemial incidents are on the rise as are RTA's. This is not what FF's or the Union think we are worth but was an indipendant review.
Surely the job has changed so the pay should change?

father_jack

My dad was a fireman - lazy git just spent all day either sleeping or playing pool now that's my kind of job.

Before you start, I've signed it OK

Little Miss WRX

Firefighters have my greatest respect also, forget my playfulness with the oooh a fireman let's shark him stuff.

They continuously place their lives at risk, that in itself is deserving of the pay rise. It is a dangerous job that they do, there are times when I am glad I am not in their boots.

carl

What are Fire Control Officers?

bros2

PG

I take your point, I really do, but just because you think you're worth it doesn't mean you actually are. Not trying to be negative here, but what will the market bear? It's not as if there are so many career options for firefighters other than the current employer, so the only solution would appear to be striking. No matter which way you say it, there is no way that the public will accept a 40%+ pay rise for firefighters when they realise that they will be the ones paying for it.

And although there is a fair degree of danger involved, it it really so much more of a challenging job than, say, being a nurse? Do many nurses earn £30k per year?

What about teachers who work with disabled kids? Surely they deserve a pay rise as well - after all, theirs is one of the hardest jobs I can imagine, and they get £17-18k per annum.

And then there are those who deal with child abuse, the victims of sexual crime ..... the list goes on and on of people who deserve more.

But there isn't the money to pay for it. In order to fund the seemingly massive public sector pay rises being demanded at present, taxation will have to rise. This won't be "Phony Tony" with a "stealth tax" (boy, do I hate both of these phrases), just straightforward taxation to pay for more expensive public services. In each individual case, I'm sure that we'd all agree that the nurses deserve more....and the teachers....and the firefighters ...... until you end up where Labour was before, paying huge increases to public sector workers and becoming unelectable as a result.

Sorry to go off on one, but it frustrates me that many people are happy to sign a petition for the firefighters/nurses/)insert underpaid sector here) but steadfastly refuse to vote for the taxes needed to fund it.

bros

BuRR

I say good luck to you guys.... not many professions around where you get to risk your life almost every job!

btw...This may be the case in London, but not the rest of the UK. Newly qualified PC's get less than £20k

Little Miss WRX

I understand your frustration Bros,

I am happy to pay the taxes as long as I know where every penny of it goes and that where it is going is worthwhile.

Little Miss WRX

Back to the top for this

dsmith

Well, when you find a country that lets you know these things - I suggest you stay there - 'cos it isnt ever going to happen here.

Pete Croney

PG

I hope you don't mind me asking a few questions.

I have many mates in the fire service and most have second jobs. They all say they love the job, but couldn't survive on the fire service wages alone. I have another very close friend who was a station manager but was pensioned off as he developed a brain tumor. He had the best private health care going and is fully recovered, after several "head open" ops. He now enjoys a great pension and has bought a house in Spain, where he spends the winters.

You said:
That's a big drop, which you obviously considered long and hard.

What were the reasons that made you accept lower pay and why don't they apply any more?

I should add that I too have ultimate respect for fire fighters. Its not just getting people out of burning buildings, but scraping them up off the roads or cutting bodies out of wrecks too. Its not a job I could do.

PG

Back from a bloody busy nightshift ! Damn those floods !!!
Thanks for the replies folks.
Bros, Man alive, get it off your chest why don’t you. We haven’t asked for anything for 25 years! There is money sitting available due to the re thinking of the review of fire cover but that’s another l o n g story.
My mother is a nurse, my girlfriend is going to be doing her teacher training and a friend of mine deals with disabled children so I am more than aware of their financial position too.
burr
sorry meant after 5 years. A FF starts at 16.5k
Carl,
The control staff are the personnel who are responsible for collecting your calls and sending out the correct number of pumps or special appliances.

Pete,
Glad to hear your mate is doing well now . It must be said that the one good thing is the pension (but due to the government spending all the initial few years proceeds on housing that itself is putting a HUGE strain on all Brigades budgets[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img])
As for taking a 9k drop, this was inclusive of my wage as a retained FF (don’t get me started on their pay !! £6 per hour ! ) and the remainder was made up from retail management. Due to my getting a taster for the job I saw it as the ONLY job I wanted to do
you have to realize that there is so much more to the job. It is great to go round the schools and see the wee ones faces light up as you let them know of the dangers and show them the flashing lights. The old biddies that tell you ALL ! there stories when you visit their housing and the work done with juvenile fire setters is so rewarding !

BTW, it has been known for me to wire the occasional plug or the likes while on my rota days but Shhhhh !

Chelle, thank you

Paul

rallycol

iTrader: (4)

I think Firefighters are great ! I (no sorry they ) deserve every penny

BuRR

Again, you must ne speaking about London and the extra allowances there.... I've got 9 years in and have only just pipped £25k this year.

Little Miss WRX

Do I get to see a photo yet?

BTW, this is a BTTT