fire dispute settled
capt wardrobe | 26.08.2004 15:31
Dear Brother / Sister
FINAL AGREEMENT REACHED
At the meeting of the National Joint Council, requisitioned by the Union for today, final agreement was reached on the implementation of the June 2003 Pay and Conditions Agreement.
The outstanding 3.5% due at Stage 2 will be paid and back-dated to 7 November 2003, and the full payment due at Stage 3 of 4.2%, back-dated to 1 July 2004.
Circulars will be issued by the NJC in the next few days, giving details of the increases and these will be further circulated by Head Office for the information of members and placed on the FBU website www.fbu.org.uk
Members have been kept fully informed of the negotiations with the Employers, facilitated by Brendan Barber, the General Secretary of the TUC, on the outstanding issues at both Stages 2 and 3. Agreement had provisionally been reached at the NJC on 2 August on Grievance and Discipline procedures, based on the ACAS Code of Practice, and now finally, agreement has been reached on stand down provisions for the night shift within the current shift duty system and working arrangements on public holidays.
The following is the form of words which were agreed to be included in Appendix C of the Grey Book:
“(A) Where the shift duty system at Section 4 Part A paragraph 7 continues to operate employees on that system should be allowed to take rest periods every night between midnight and 0700, other than on those occasions where they are required to respond to emergency calls, perform work arising from emergency calls or perform other essential activities that:
(1) arise from the Integrated Risk Management Plan,
are within the employee’s role and responsibilities, and
are appropriate during these hours.
These arrangements shall be the subject of consultation between the fire and rescue authority and recognised trade unions.
(B) It is recognised that because of the distinctive circumstances that apply throughout local communities on public holidays, with many businesses and services for example not working normally, the demands on the fire and rescue service and the consequent mix of appropriate duties will be different to those on normal working days. Taking that into account, between the hours of 7am and midnight on public holidays staff will be expected to undertake a full range of duties that arise from the Integrated Risk Management Plan, that are within the employee’s role and responsibilities and accord with the above parameters.
These arrangements shall be the subject of consultation between the fire and rescue authority and recognised trade unions.
Working on public holidays will continue to be rewarded with double time payment and time off in lieu as defined in Section 4 Part C paras 18-20.”
The outcome of the other detailed negotiations over the last 12 months will form the basis of the revised Grey Book and copies will be made available as soon as possible.
A negotiated end to this long-running dispute would not have been possible without the members of the Union showing their determination in the face of a determined attempt to wreck the agreement. The Union has acted honestly, openly and with integrity, at all times. We must not be naïve and must be prepared for further attacks by those who wanted to provoke a confrontation this time. We must rise to their challenge in the future, but at the same time, put the dispute behind us and move on to ensure the Fire and Rescue Service remains one of the most successful public services in the U.K.
Much work is to be done, and it is only by having a strong and unified Union that we will achieve our aims.
Best wishes.
Yours fraternally
MIKE FORDHAM
Assistant General Secretary
MF/jh
http://www.fbu.org.uk/circulars/circ2004/c2004hoc0523mf.htm
FINAL AGREEMENT REACHED
At the meeting of the National Joint Council, requisitioned by the Union for today, final agreement was reached on the implementation of the June 2003 Pay and Conditions Agreement.
The outstanding 3.5% due at Stage 2 will be paid and back-dated to 7 November 2003, and the full payment due at Stage 3 of 4.2%, back-dated to 1 July 2004.
Circulars will be issued by the NJC in the next few days, giving details of the increases and these will be further circulated by Head Office for the information of members and placed on the FBU website www.fbu.org.uk
Members have been kept fully informed of the negotiations with the Employers, facilitated by Brendan Barber, the General Secretary of the TUC, on the outstanding issues at both Stages 2 and 3. Agreement had provisionally been reached at the NJC on 2 August on Grievance and Discipline procedures, based on the ACAS Code of Practice, and now finally, agreement has been reached on stand down provisions for the night shift within the current shift duty system and working arrangements on public holidays.
The following is the form of words which were agreed to be included in Appendix C of the Grey Book:
“(A) Where the shift duty system at Section 4 Part A paragraph 7 continues to operate employees on that system should be allowed to take rest periods every night between midnight and 0700, other than on those occasions where they are required to respond to emergency calls, perform work arising from emergency calls or perform other essential activities that:
(1) arise from the Integrated Risk Management Plan,
are within the employee’s role and responsibilities, and
are appropriate during these hours.
These arrangements shall be the subject of consultation between the fire and rescue authority and recognised trade unions.
(B) It is recognised that because of the distinctive circumstances that apply throughout local communities on public holidays, with many businesses and services for example not working normally, the demands on the fire and rescue service and the consequent mix of appropriate duties will be different to those on normal working days. Taking that into account, between the hours of 7am and midnight on public holidays staff will be expected to undertake a full range of duties that arise from the Integrated Risk Management Plan, that are within the employee’s role and responsibilities and accord with the above parameters.
These arrangements shall be the subject of consultation between the fire and rescue authority and recognised trade unions.
Working on public holidays will continue to be rewarded with double time payment and time off in lieu as defined in Section 4 Part C paras 18-20.”
The outcome of the other detailed negotiations over the last 12 months will form the basis of the revised Grey Book and copies will be made available as soon as possible.
A negotiated end to this long-running dispute would not have been possible without the members of the Union showing their determination in the face of a determined attempt to wreck the agreement. The Union has acted honestly, openly and with integrity, at all times. We must not be naïve and must be prepared for further attacks by those who wanted to provoke a confrontation this time. We must rise to their challenge in the future, but at the same time, put the dispute behind us and move on to ensure the Fire and Rescue Service remains one of the most successful public services in the U.K.
Much work is to be done, and it is only by having a strong and unified Union that we will achieve our aims.
Best wishes.
Yours fraternally
MIKE FORDHAM
Assistant General Secretary
MF/jh
http://www.fbu.org.uk/circulars/circ2004/c2004hoc0523mf.htm
capt wardrobe