South Yorkshire Shifts Offer: 10.5 hr days and 13.5 hr night

Newbie User Online: Joined: 22 Sep 2009 Posts: 11

Taken from the BBC news web-site...... a taste of the future for London?

New offer in fire strike dispute
Firefighter
Fire crews say shift changes could affect childcare arrangements

Fire chiefs are to put forward a proposal to union officials in an attempt to avert further strike action by firefighters in South Yorkshire.

Hundreds of crews walked out on Monday in a protest over plans to change crews' shift patterns.

The fire authority said if the offer was accepted at a meeting later, it would withdraw the threat of dismissal if crews did not sign new contracts.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said it would not comment until after talks.

A second 24-hour strike by firefighters is due to take place on Friday.

The action comes after 744 employees were threatened with the sack if they did not accept new employment contracts stating they had to work 12-hour day and night shifts.

The fire authority wants crews to work the new shifts in place of the current nine-hour days and 15-hour nights.

'Fair proposal'

But firefighters have argued this would present families with a range of problems, including childcare arrangements.

The fire authority said a condition of its new offer was that crews would work 10-and-a-half hour day shifts and 13-and-a-half hour nights, to take effect from 2 December.

The authority said it would then begin negotiations with the FBU in an attempt to reach agreement on 12-hour shifts, by 31 March.

If no agreement is reached, the matter would then be referred to a national mediator.

The fire authority said if union officials accepted this offer, it would "immediately stop all activities that are being undertaken regarding the dismissal and re-engagement process".

Chief fire officer Mark Smitherman said: "I believe this proposal is fair and shows our commitment to further negotiation and I would urge the FBU to consider it seriously."

Learner User Online: Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 96

I'd say, don't accept! It's not what they want. They want to keep the 9hr day and 15hr night. They're not asking to have it changed at all. Also, it says that if the union accept the offer they want to have negotiated the 12hr shifts by march! So they are saying 'accept the offer and we'll postpone shafting you!'

Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 1:43 pm

Not easy to say 'accept it' when it means food out of your families mouth, especially if, like me you don't have a part time job and your wife has just lost her job.

Not an easy call at all

It also doesn't matter if they are found to have sacked people illegally people won't be able to eat and some will loose homes