New fire crew shifts to come into force in Lincolnshire

Description:

More than 100 firefighters in Lincolnshire, including those in Spalding are to be made redundant and then offered new contracts as a new shift system is introduced - without agreement with the Fire Brigade Union (FBU).

Despite two years of negotiation with the FBU, the failure to reach an agreement has led to the decision to go ahead and introduce the new shifts.

 

As a result, the necessary paperwork has been submitted to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to commence the process of dismissal and re-engagement of the staff affected.

 

In effect the process will make 112 firefighters redundant from their current employment and offer them new employment in the service with amended terms and conditions.

 

There now follows 90 days of consultation between Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and the affected staff. 

 

Chief Fire Officer, Mike Thomas, said: "I remain committed to reaching an agreed solution if at all possible with the FBU and will continue meeting with the Union to try and resolve this issue.

 

"I am disappointed in having to take this step, however the Fire Authority and senior managers at the county council agree that there are compelling reasons for the changes in order to allow us to continue to improve firefighter safety and the service we provide to the communities of Lincolnshire.

 

"At the end of the 90 day consultation staff will be given notice of dismissal from their current contracts and offered a new contract with the new terms and conditions.

 

"If this process is completed and we are still unable to reach an agreement the new duty patterns will come into effect from 1^st February 2010."

Cllr Peter Robinson, Executive Councillor for Community Safety, said: "It is very sad that this impasse has been reached after so much negotiation, and so many "false dawns" of hope over the last two years, that we could gain FBU support for the shift changes.

"We have moved forward significantly in recent years in terms of identifying where the risk of fires, emergencies and road traffic accidents is greatest: we must therefore tailor our fire prevention and response effort to match the risk profile. The new shift system will contribute to this process."