EU law threat to fire service cover
Avon Fire Service risks losing hundreds of firefighters if a controversial European Union directive is imposed on the United Kingdom, campaigners have warned.
Moves to force Britain to adopt the European Working Time Directive would, they claim, leave the part-time, retained fire service covering the Bristol area "unviable" because it would be illegal for anyone to work for more than 48 hours a week.
The service has 224 retained firefighters, many of whom hold down full-time day jobs on top of their commitment to the fire service.
The UK has long been granted an "opt-out" to the directive, but, following a vote by the European Parliament, this opt-out is due to be scrapped in 2012. It would mean that many retained firefighters would be unable to legally juggle both jobs.
Replacing retained firefighters, who earn on average between £5,000 and £8,000 a year for agreeing to be "available" for up to 120 hours per week, with 24-hour whole-time cover would be extremely expensive, leading to fears that the coverage and reliability of the service would suffer.
Employment Minister Pat McFadden admitted it would have an impact on the service and insisted the Government was fighting to keep the UK's opt-out.
He told said: "On the working hours of retained firefighters, my information is that about 10% of firefighters who work in the retained duty system already work 49 hours or more for their primary employer, and a further 25% work between 41 and 48 hours. It is clear what effect the opt-out could have on that group of workers."
It is not clear how many of the retained firefighters would be forced to quit as some may only work a low number of hours in their day jobs and be on retainer for a quiet fire station but it is expected to have a significant impact, campaigners fear.
John Barton, general secretary of the Retained Firefighters' Union (RFU), said: "If we lost this opt-out then the retained fire service becomes unviable. If people are using up to 48 hours in their primary employment, they haven't got any hours left to devote to public service."
Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael said: "The position of retained firefighters in an excellent example of how the working time directive could have a very severe effect on one of the most important public services.
"This is particularly acute in rural areas but will affect communities the length and breadth of the UK, both rural and urban. The working time directive would be a threat to the viability of this service, and the provision of firefighters could be fatally undermined."
Replacing the retained service with permanent, full-time firefighters would cost ten times as much, he said. In the short term, it would mean increased attendance times.
A spokeswoman for Avon Fire and Rescue Service said: "We are aware of the implications and will be monitoring the situation. We will await the outcome of the debate in the European Parliament."
Stations covered by retained firefighters
Paulton
Winscombe
16 Comments
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by Jack Ancliffe, Frome
Friday, February 20 2009, 12:19PM
“'Retained Firefighter Bristol' says, quite rightly, says check the facts.
My understanding is that certain 'essential public services' workers have some exclusion from the Working Time Directive where those rights are inappropriate, for example for the armed forces and emergency services.
My main point is that there is no direct EU stipulation on how the Directive is to be implemented; rather it is for employers in Britain to manage their people effectively and lawfully.
In other words, there may be some questions on achieving fire cover but they are not much to do with the EU.”
by Peter A, Montarlot France
Friday, February 20 2009, 12:08PM
“In France the small town and rural fire and rescue service is entirely retained ( this includes the accident ambulance service). France has had the 35 hr week for a decade without affecting the Pompiers!
This would seem to be yet another example of UK over kill and jobsworth type reaction.
Regards”
by Alfred, Bristol
Thursday, February 19 2009, 8:18PM
“Retained Firefighter these people are the sort who do nothing for free, sit and moan all the time and believe in a PC & claim society.
I wonder if it's possible to put a price on a scout leader? It would have to be £22-£25k a year. The passion would go and the movement wouldn't be the same.
These people don't understand that you can't put a price on community volunteers.”
by retained firefighter, bristol
Thursday, February 19 2009, 7:48PM
“may I point out this does not only affect firefighters it also affects the lifeboat service coastguard and you cannot work even on a unpaid basis under the regulations. so get facts before commenting”
by Katie, Bristol
Thursday, February 19 2009, 5:53PM
“Hooray! I don't want my fires put out by some exploited worker who's already worked 48 hours and is knackered! Lets have professional firefighters paid a living wage for a 40 hour week. The EU is only tryng to drag us into the 21st century, you know!”
by Jack Ancliffe, Frome
Thursday, February 19 2009, 5:32PM
“What tosh appears in the papers about the EU. Do fires catch light in rural Italy or Holland? Don¿t they get put out, same as here? Surely employment arrangements for retaining part-time fire-fighters is for the local fire brigades to arrange and very little to do with broad Europe-wide policy for the protection of working people. To try to shame or blame the EU by means of falsehood and misrepresented knocking copy is just an excuse for poor administration”
by Andrew, Bristol
Thursday, February 19 2009, 4:18PM
“Workers classed as part of 'essential public services', such as members of the armed forces, police and emergency services are excluded from the 48 hour average week and many other aspects of the Working Time Directive. It looks like this story might just be an excuse for EU-bashing, as it doesn't appear to be true.”
by Brian, Bristol
Thursday, February 19 2009, 4:18PM
“What a pity the European Courts dont order us to copy the rest of Europe in terms of Public Transport,and road structure/maintenance,ie,the Paris Ring Road ( which incidentally is a continuous ring ) roundabout,and traffic light free,you exit and join via flyovers,and underpasses the lane discipline of drivers is excellent ,all european roads are constructed twice the depth of ours,if you see a single traffic cone it is an event.Public Transport is frequent,and cheap,in Holland for example the train service has to be seen to be believed”
by Paul, Shirehampton
Thursday, February 19 2009, 1:17PM
“As usual 'our' government will cave in & be told what to do by Europe.
Time for a new non-spineless government & time to tell Europe to get out of our business.”
by Alfred, Bristol
Thursday, February 19 2009, 11:46AM
“Dee I don't want to sound too British here but it will open a lot of people's eyes if they read in to what has been signed over to the EU under this government.
We never had our promised referendum and although Ireland has put a halt on the Lisbon Treaty our government have transparently continued to sign away the UK. In the House of Lords just last month a person asked if there was any point in him being there as all decisions are made in Brussels.
I'm afraid by the time we have a new government it may be too late to rescue any part of our system as it was 10 years ago.”