A message for Cayman 206 CC...

CB · Post by CB » Mon Jun 30, 2003 10:52 pm

Hello! Welcome to the forum...
So, seeing from your profile that you are a firefighter, I was wondering on what your views were on the firestrikes and if you think you're worth all the extra money Mr Gilchrist was trying to get for you?

Cheers
CB

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 11:11 pm

Aimee · Post by **Aimee** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 11:12 pm

Hmmmm, this could get interesting....

(NB Word of warning to anyone who lives in Strathclyde or know anyone who lives there, if there is another fire strike, I'd move out!!!!)

Cappy · Post by **Cappy** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 11:30 pm

Yes this is the new green godess

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 1:23 am

(NB Word of warning to anyone who lives in Strathclyde or know anyone who lives there, if there is another fire strike, I'd move out!!!!)

why ?

although i'd personally move out even without a fire strike

CB · Post by CB » Tue Jul 01, 2003 8:16 am

Lets just say that there are some of us in the military (not me this time) who are a bit fcuked off after serving in Afghanisatan, then straight onto Op Fresco (covering for the firemen) then straight onto 5 months plus in the Gulf. If another firestrike is called, these same lads and girls will be off around the country again to cover. As you can imagine, there is a very deep resentment growing against the fireservice now. Especially as they are already on a lot more money than youraverage squaddie/airman/naval rating, for putting in a lot less hours and doing far less work. But hey! I'm not picking a fight, just looking for a genuine justification for it all from a genuine firefighter...

Cappy · Post by **Cappy** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 8:44 am

Perhaps they should get the fire crew to do your jobs and se how they get on.

Aimee · Post by **Aimee** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 8:51 am

Derek, my bloke will be in charge of a crew of 'pretend firefighters' in Strathclyde if there is a strike

Hes a pyromanic for starters & I've heard all about them doing the training a few weeks ago!

tonymag · Post by **tonymag** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 12:20 pm

Dont want to sound harsh but.............people are not paid for "the worth" of the job, they are paid by market forces.If it was a worth thing then nurses would be paid 100K+ etc.But unfortunatley we are paid what is the going rate.If the forces get to a point where they cant take the constant running all over the world then they should do something about it and leave and pursue a carear elsewhere.I believe you know what you are getting in to when you join any job.The low bits of being in HM forces plc is that you have to go around the world at a moments notice and dont see much of your family,but on the flip side you get to have the absolute time of your life and make bonds with mates that are far beond the normal.Same as if you go in to nurseing dont complain about the bad things about the job and remember that it is a vocation.The firefighters deserve a payrise we all would agree, good luck to them if they get it , im of the opinion that what they are asking for is too much.

Alex LS · Post by **Alex LS** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 12:41 pm

they should do something about it and leave and pursue a carear elsewhere.I believe you know what you are getting in to when you join any job.

Applies to firefighters, methinks.

tonymag · Post by **tonymag** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 12:43 pm

applies to both , firefighters are gonna deal with fires and forces are gonna fight wars , dont like it leave.Same as i had an argument in a pub with a guy once who was having a go about footballers wages and i asked him what he did , It consultant he said , i asked him if he earned his high wage!

CB · Post by CB » Tue Jul 01, 2003 1:34 pm

The low bits of being in HM forces plc is that you have to go around the world at a moments notice and dont see much of your family

We are quite excepting of that...what we do disagree with is why we have to cover for striking firefighters or clear up farmers mess as we did a couple of years ago during the Foot and Mouth crisis. This involved the burning of huge amounts of animal carcasses. The fire service were conspicuous in their absence in an area you would have thought they would have been of use. I, and all my colleagues, are well aware that we have to go to war and go overseas at short notice - after all its in our contracts. Nowhere in my contract does it say we should be expected to cover the jobs of any organisation who decide to down tools in disputes over pay and conditions.
Heres an example, I know a lot of you here work in the computer/IT industry for instance. What would your reaction be if your bosses told you that you had to go and work behind the counter in branches of Woolworths indefinitely because their employees are on strike. Your reaction would be "fcuk off - what the hell has that got to do with me" or in a more extreme example, you were told to go and cover for striking coal miners...your reaction would be "No chance - I don't have the proper training". Exactly the same situation a Navy Stores Accountant, or RAF admin clerk or Army chef has been faced with during this current firefighters dispute. Can you see my point?

MattB · Post by **MattB** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 1:42 pm

Nowhere in my contract does it say we should be expected to cover the jobs of any organisation who decide to down tools in disputes over pay and conditions.

What is in your contract? What exactly is your job description? Is there a clause stating that you may be asked to do work for the public?

CB · Post by CB » Tue Jul 01, 2003 1:47 pm

I can't really give specific contractual details out cus of the Official Secrets Act, but lets just say that the terms and conditions have been abused over the last few years. For example when i joined up i had to declare, as did everyone in the military, that i was not homosexual. Then a few years ago they abolished this ruling and gays were allowed in the forces. In other words they changed my contract without my express permission. The same went for drug use. When I joined up you could not have ever used Class A or B drugs. Now thats not the case because they know they will not find many young people in this day and age who haven't dabbled. Although there is still a supposedly zero tolerance policy on drug abuse in the military.

tonymag · Post by **tonymag** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 2:03 pm

Job description , and contracts change all the time , my contract has just been changed , and if i had a problem with it apart from the normal union route i can leave.Im have sympathy with you CB , i dont believe HM forces should be used in civil diputes because Hm forces are apolitical and should not be at the beck and call of the politcal animals , but when you enter the forces you become a assett of the state.And i really get upset when you mention "army chefs..........raf this and that" you are a serviceman first then a trade , also i do think the drug thing is a wrong thing, but during the troubles in northern ireland i dont think there was many patrols going out in the really sticky parts of the country that there wasnt one person high on drugs.And homosexuality isnt a problem, sexuality doesnt go hand in hand with aggresion and warcraft.