Show your support to save the Working Time Directive Opt-Out

The RFU has been at the forefront of the campaign to retain the right of the individual to opt-out of the Working Time Directive for the simple reason that we are only too aware of the negative effect it will have on fire and emergency cover which RDS firefighters currently provide if the Opt-Out is removed.

We encourage anyone who shares our view that Retained Duty System (RDS) firefighters provide a vitally important, cost effective and professional service to the community to demonstrate this support by signing our online petition.

Please note you do not have to be a firefighter to sign the petition!

We have been accused of ‘scaremongering’ by the TUC and some political figures citing that not all RDS staff work in excess of 48hrs with both jobs combined and referring to an exclusion for Civil Protection Services within the Working Time Directive. To counter these claims we state that not every Retained Firefighter would be effected by the removal of the opt-out, but every single person who is sacked is one too many, especially when we already have recruitment and retention issues within the service.

Guidance from the Health & Safety Executive and European court decisions say that employers should not depend on derogations or exemptions under the ‘Civil Protection’ provisions (Section 18 (2) (A) of the 1998 Regulations) as anything other than a very restricted and limited variation of working hours. The exclusion will operate in circumstances where an unforeseen event occurs which by its nature cannot be planned for. Therefore it is doubtful that the FRS could rely on pre planned RDS cover as being within this exclusion. In any event not all fire and rescue activity would be excluded from the provisions of the Regulations (for example training, exercises and importantly community safety).

The problem also extends to Wholetime personnel who either have secondary employment outside of the Fire Service or who are Wholetime/Retained. Under the current proposal both secondary roles would have to cease to ensure the 48 hr limit was maintained. In addition Officers employed on the flexi duty system would be similarly affected.

AssetCo/RFU Partnership

It has been some time since you were updated on the progress of opportunities we have been pursuing both in the Middle East and here in the UK. I would like to bring you up to date and seek confirmation from those members who either wish to continue this voluntary arrangement or those who have not yet done so but would now like to volunteer.

To confirm your existing commitment or to volunteer to go onto our database for consideration please send your name and contact details to Gareth.White@assetco.com. (please copy to office@rfuonline.co.uk)

PROGRESS ON OPPORTUNITIES

ABU DHABI

We have been working with the Abu Dhabi Police who run the Fire and Rescue Service across the Emirates on a number of proposals, whilst there is some commercial sensitivity attached to these opportunities I can advise that the proposal which requires us to recruit a number of Crew, Watch and Station Managers, is still very much live and subject to negotiations.

We are also pursuing a number of smaller opportunities with Abu Dhabi Police which may require some specialist Fire Safety Managers.

We are also pursuing opportunities with Abu Dhabi Airports Committee, which if successful will require a significant number of Qualified Airport Fire Fighters and Managers.

UK PROJECT FIREGUARD

The successful bidder for this contract was G4s. However there appears to be difficulties in ensuring sufficient Fire Authorities remain in the project to make it viable. We have been approached by a number of Fire Authorities and their Chiefs to consider how they can meet their legal obligations of Resilience and how we can support them.

I anticipate that there will be competitive opportunities to support Fire and Rescue Authorities who are legally obliged to find solutions and that will benefit our partnership.

John Barton
National General Secretary