Zero Hours Contract

[LFB92]

From the contents of this introduction Avon zero hour contract? As a firefighter Is that a thing? 

Edited September 29, 2019 by Keith
Topic split

[Keith]

Was wondering exactly the same thing @LFB92 so split your post out to allow us to discuss it in more detail. I know things are bad, but sincerely hope that we haven't got to zero hours contracts.

@Rowland could you tell us a bit more as you have mentioned it in a few posts. I'm  wondering if you've picked up something wrong relating to recruitment for On call or retained firefighters?

[Jet]

It is for Resilience firefighter. Just checked the website. Absolutely nowhere in the advert does it say you will be expected to cover periods of industrial action. 

Resilience firefighter

[Rowland]

Hello 

Hello, anyone doing resilence firefighting?  I’m seriously thinking of filling out the employment form.

[LFB92]

Three days basic training is that some kind of joke? The whole thing seems a bit weird

[Messyshaw]

All fire and rescue services have to have contingency plans by law. As with all contingency plans, you never get the same level of service. 

The team who set up London's EFCC contacted me when I retired to offer me a job. I had zero% interest in such a zero hours job, but was curious what the LFB were planning (as were FBU friends 😉).

I was supplied with a huge package detailing the training and how the EFCC  would operate using security operatives managed by former firefighters.

The organisers offered me a role as effectively a GM looking after half of London.

Honestly, the whole concept frightened me so much, I shared all I had with the FBU

The LFB spun the EFCC as extra resources to be used at crisis times such as a large natural disaster. But it was crap- the EFCC hasn't got any kit so cannot be a true auxiliary force in that sense

Can u imagine being newly retired and hoping to stay in touch with lifelong friends while strike breaking?

Can you imagine being responsible for 300 sq miles of London (they generously said I could pick north or south of the Thames !) and managing umpteen appliances full of sprogs all attending their first shout?!! Stuff of nightmares.

To those considering the role, be careful. Its risky. The training is basic and although it may help your CV, it's not gunna help you fit in with your watch when you arrive 

 

[Carl]

7 hours ago, LFB92 said:

From the contents of this introduction Avon zero hour contract? As a firefighter Is that a thing? 

Ive deleted the introduction, as it wasn't an introduction as detailed by the forum description. 

[HoldFast]

5 hours ago, Rowland said:

Hello 

Hello, anyone doing resilence firefighting?  I’m seriously thinking of filling out the employment form.

If you are pursuing a career as a firefighter I’d stay well away from it.

[Jet]

@Rowland just don’t do it mate. It’s not being a firefighter it’s effectively playing pretend. And you will have to be prepared to cross picket lines of striking firefighters. If you want a career in the fire service, those striking firefighters might be your colleagues some day so I hope you can appreciate the situation you put yourself in by pursuing this.

And it will absolutely not put you in any favourable standing for a full time job in the service. It even says that in the job advert. 

[TandA]

I believe Avon have been trying to introduce or something very similar as a way of saving money on Retained firefighters.  They wanted to offer contracts for fewer hours of availability but didn’t like the fact that the Grey Book says a maximum 25% reduction in the Retaining Fee can be applied to anyone offering less than 120 hours of cover meaning they would have to offer the princely Retaining Fee of £2250 for however few hours you contracted to cover.   I heard they were wanting to introduce a new duty system, a Frankenstein cross between the Retained Duty System and a Volunteer.  No Retaining Fee, just turnout payments like a Volunteer as defined in the Grey Book but a contract to provide set hours of cover and attend 45 drills a year which is more like the Retained Duty System.

I certainly wouldn’t recommend anyone take this up and I know the FBU won’t agree it.  For Retained firefighters, the Retaining Fee is the only guaranteed element of your pay and being tied to an alerter for even 40 hours a week with potentially no remuneration in return would not be fun.  I have done 20 years in the Retained and I can tell you being contractually tied to an alerter is extremely restrictive and I am paid to do it. 

[HoldFast]

RDS don’t get paid enough as it is without introducing a new system that eliminates the retainer fee. Since leaving retained I have a new appreciation for how restrictive it really is and I take my hat off to those that go the distance. I miss it but I don’t miss being tied to my alerter which at times felt like some sort of electronic tag!