SIPTU HAS SAID retained firefighters are “disappointed” with recommendations made by the Labour Court in relation to a dispute over working conditions and are expected to reject the proposals, leading to a possible return to strike action.
The Retained Fire Service is a 2,000 strong part-time workforce which provides fire and first responder emergency services across the country.
Siptu members employed as Retained Fire Services firefighters had been engaged in industrial action due to what the trade union describes as a “staffing crisis which threatens this vital community resource”.
It said that many firefighters are unable to take their leave entitlements due to staff shortages and have also seen their incomes drastically reduced due to reductions in call-outs over the last number of years.
An all-out strike of retained firefighters as due to take place last month. However, it was called off after the Labour Court agreed to hold a formal hearing.
The Labour Court yesterday made ten recommendations in relation to the dispute.
It recommended that staff at retained stations be increased to 12, allowing a crew of six to be rostered on while an alternate crew of six is rostered off.
This would see an increase of around 400 staff and reduce the liability of each firefighter to respond to alerts from 75% of all alerts to 45% of alerts “without reduction or negative effect on the value of the Retainer payment”, the recommendation reads.
The Labour Court also recommended that the retainer be increased by between 24.1% and 32.7%. This would mean a firefighter on an annual retainer of €8,870 would see it increase to €11,769 from 1 October.
Other recommendations made by the Labour Court include that “arrangements be put in place to implement community-based fire prevention programmes involving Retained Firefighters”, that “each Retained Firefighter be issued with a Number 1 Dress Uniform”, and that policies should be developed and standardised in relation to “sick leave and all forms of statutory leave, including maternity and parental leave”.
Following a meeting today, the SIPTU National Retained Firefighter Committee has said there is major disappointment at the terms of the Labour Court recommendations.
“Our members in the retained fire service believe the content of the Labour Court recommendation in relation to the many issues in the service is a major disappointment,” Karan O Loughlin, SIPTU Public Administration and Community Division Organiser, said.
“While there are some small adjustments made to the previous position of the employers, there was just not enough political will to inject the resources necessary to resolve the current impasse and create the environment for re-engagement on the broader issues in this dispute.
“While the headline figures that describe the percentage rises in relation to pay look meaningful, in fact they are large percentages of a small annual retainer.”
O Loughlin said there is nothing in the recommendation to deal with “the precarious nature of the firefighters’ earnings with the retainer, drill and training still the only guaranteed pay”.
She said SIPTU retained firefighters will ballot on the document in the coming days, with a recommendation for its rejection from their National Committee.
“Accordingly, we anticipate that the document will be overwhelmingly rejected and that there will be a return to strike action,” she added.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say