retained or should we be called 'recall to duty'

[xxx279]

hi guys
I work at Southport in merseyside
I am a wholetime LFF who also does the retained covering the 4 days I work, so when not on duty at the station over my 4 days I am on call with the bleeper.
When we signed up we did so to a retained contract.
So working out the number of calls we receive for our 3rd appliance which is now retained i got the figure i would be called probably once a week.
However, our bosses have now turned it around and call us in almost every time the first 2 appliances go out. So in effect we are called in just to sit at the station providing cover whilst these 2 appliances are at a call.
This often has us coming in 2 or 3 times a shift.
Not very happy with it as we do not get any extra pay apart from our 15% of wholetime wages to do this cover. So no turn in fee ect.
The extra money we can get is after being at the station on cover more than 1 1/4 hours.
Does this sound a fair system as it is brand new in merseyside.

Plus typically of our lot.
We often only have 4 guys on cover. So no room for an alerter failiure

Please do get back to me even if it is to say 'stop moaning' as this is the norm

thanks guys

[dave bev]

i asume you have raised this issue with les s? (also assuming you are in the fbu?)

dave bev

[jocky]

The answer is very easy, the retained personel enjoy the being part of the brigade and in my experiance would turn out to any call that they are required to respond to, even if it is a standby call. It seems far to many whole time staff think its a chance to earn a bit extra money, well thats not the case!!! Best you get out and stay out.

hi guys
I work at Southport in merseyside
I am a wholetime LFF who also does the retained covering the 4 days I work, so when not on duty at the station over my 4 days I am on call with the bleeper.
When we signed up we did so to a retained contract.
So working out the number of calls we receive for our 3rd appliance which is now retained i got the figure i would be called probably once a week.
However, our bosses have now turned it around and call us in almost every time the first 2 appliances go out. So in effect we are called in just to sit at the station providing cover whilst these 2 appliances are at a call.
This often has us coming in 2 or 3 times a shift.
Not very happy with it as we do not get any extra pay apart from our 15% of wholetime wages to do this cover. So no turn in fee ect.
The extra money we can get is after being at the station on cover more than 1 1/4 hours.
Does this sound a fair system as it is brand new in merseyside.

Plus typically of our lot.
We often only have 4 guys on cover. So no room for an alerter failiure

Please do get back to me even if it is to say 'stop moaning' as this is the norm

thanks guys

[messy]

Stop Moaning

(sorry someone had to do it!!)

[lucky]

There are Brigades that are making Retained Firefighters do the full entrance test when they apply,does anyone have a few tips as to what to excpect.

[lucky]

Are there any retained on Merseyside

[fireftrm]

There are Brigades that are making Retained Firefighters do the full entrance test when they apply,does anyone have a few tips as to what to excpect.

This is the requirement for ALL UK FRS from April. The entrance tests are the Firefighter Selection tests, not WDS, or RDS ones. A firefighter is a firefighter. RDS get the same hourly rate, have the same competence requirements, now the last part of the jigsaw, the entrance requirements are coming in line.


Jocky - so the RDS would turn in for NO pay? I don't think so. If I understand correctly xxx279 is saying that they are being called in to cover as standby (not unusual as in some FRS the RDS come in when the WDS go out for an anticipated longer time - other than an AFA for example) but are not receiving any payment for this time, unles it goes past the 1.25 hours. This is not the situation that RDS would be in, they would be paid from the moment the pager sounds until dismissed.

xxx279 - is it that you receive no payment at all for attending the station on standby? Also did your WDS/RDS contract stipulate that attendance as such would be for no pay, or does it include a payment for the first hour for all RDS calls? Either way that should have given away that the employer would utitlise you as much as possible and not the amount that the third pump previously turned out? Also are you WDS on shift and if so the 15% to do RDS includingt he first hours of a call is very generous, the Grey Book payment for RDS duty by WDS is 5% (the amount to be available)  so you are receiving an additional £2655................... so maybe Messy is right - do stop moaning, let us know the real facts and then we can maybe make a better judgement?

[fireftrm]

Mods could this be moved to an appropriate thread

[lucky]

Does anyone know what the entrance tests involve?

[fireftrm]

Yes they are fully described elsewhere, try a web search for the National Firefighter Selection Tests, or look at www.fire.gov.uk or www.fireservice.co.uk. The personal qualities and attributes that are required by ALL firefighters under the new standards would suggest that anyone who could pass should have the skills to do such a search to find out such information for themself.............