Pay Vs Competency

[fireftrm]

Out of interest my FRS has just put all Ffs, not yet on full pay because they had not yet reached the service time, through tests. These were based on the qualified Ff tests of yesteryear. All who passed were put onto competnet pay, all Ffs joining from 2003 are on a NVQ route to competent pay so we now have no-one who isn't on full pay, or working toward the NVQ (IPDS route) to competent pay. We have two Ffs with less than 3 years service on competent pay via achievement of the NVQ.

[colin todd]

Christopher, Most of the unacceptable comments that appear on the BBs come from people who log in as guests, often notwithstanding the fact that they are members without the balls ( can I say that word??) to say who they really are. People like Davey who have interesting opinions to express, whether right or wrong, are never afraid to say who they really are. When the website went chargeable, the BBs were not available to non-members. On behalf of many of the fire community who did not wish to become members, I had a discussion with the Webmaster, who in any case I feel is well entitled to the measly tenner that is all that it costs to register, and I suggested that the fire community would be better served if the BBS went ''public'' again, a request to which he willingly and kindly acceded. Was that the right thing to do?? I am sure he could make them accessible only to those who register their ID.

[fireftrm]

Colin a good idea, if it was a requirement to register it should not put anyone off, if it did they are probably those we would rather not have?

[colin todd]

Personally, I am ambivalent. It matters little to me that people put silly childish comments on the BBs, usually under a pseudonym claiming they are someone that they are not, when in fact they are registered under another name. (see for example comments on PAs 79). But if it upsets others, its a possible solution that they/ the Webmaster could always bear in mind. That is the only reason I flagged it up. Come the revolution, Davey and the boys will have the BB nationalised, our illustrious webmaster will be sent to a Gulag, where he can live out his days slaving over a hot PC, and those who speak out of turn will be send to a re-education establishment to learn to be politically correct. I myself am too old to learn and last time I had a coffee with Davey he told me there was nothing for it other than to have me shot, but only for my own good.

[Peter]

Colin

Surely the BB should be modernised in line with current New Labour practice - (nationalised at someone elses expence?)

[colin todd]

Actually it should probably be a PFI.

[dave bev]

colin, it was for the people (and by the people of course) and even your attempt to induce favours with the promise of a sticky bun should have been made less obvious if you really wanted to be spared cometh the day!

i am all for free specch, but with the responsiblity of free speech there comes all sorts of other stuff!- this isnt yet the time of revolution so why dont people identify themselves so that honest and open debate can take place for the benefit of all, and even old dogs can be taught new tricks so indeed the webbie may be useful in the days to come, in fact i will ensure the gulag is suitably enriched with cultural artifacts!

ok rant over, back to the real topic.

Pay Versus Competency or simply PVC. (steady colin !)

NJC meet on tuesday -  (amongst other issues) R2R - might be interesting - (for non fireys NJC is employer/employee group who agree conditions of service etc)

dave bev

[guest28]

i have a pay dispute with my brigade at the moment.
i joined on may 9th 2001

In 2003 my brigade withdrew the qualified exam and failed to introduce a means of assesing my competency.
i pointed out that as of may 2004 i was eligible for a competent rate of pay under the new pay agreement  but had been denied the oppportunity due the brigades failure to introduce a competency assesment.
i was told that i would be would be moved onto competency pay upon completing 4 yeas service( 3 weeks ago) which i have .
i was also told that i would now be classed as a competent firefighter.

This week the brigade introduced a competency assesment . Succesful applicants will have their pay back dated to the start of their 3rd year due to the brigades inabilty to test them during that period.
i however can get no answers as to whether i will also recieve back pay or whether i can also take this competency exam as they aready regard me as competent.
( could they withdraw my competnecy if i failed  lol ??! )

can ayone tell me where i stand ? My brigade have no answers at present but im suspecting that the answer may involve two fingers.
i fully agree to back paying the firefighters who pass this assesment  as its the fault of the brigade that they have been denied these earning for that period however i do feel that i also have been denied that wage and if i am supposedly classed as competent 3 weeks ago why should i have to take the competnecy exam if they will even let me?


during the period in which i was not rated competent but eligible to take a assesment if  they'd had one in place, i was invited ( with others) to interview for promotion to lff due to my having passed lff part 1 ( part 2 no longer required).
 i argued that if i was competent enough to be elibible for the next role i surely was competent in my current role . (clutching at straws i know.)

and if i was in development  ie under supervision why was i riding as OIC on the Emergency Tender and Turntable ladder.  im either under supervision or in charge of a front line vehicle which is it?
if i was not in developement then i wanted competent pay ....that was my argument.
all of which was pooh pooed by Avon Fire Brigade.

i would appreciate any thoughts

simon

[dave bev]

simon, you need to speak to your rep body. it would be inappropriate for me to make comment on here until they have had the opportunity to progress the issue.

there are a few issues you raise which would need more info than i am prepared to post on an 'open' forum, so i suggest you involve your rep body as a matter of urgency

dave bev