FIREFIGHTERS at Guernsey Airport resumed their duties at 3.30pm today.
The announcement followed talks with Chief Minister Lyndon Trott, although the decision of the men to resume work is not thought to be directly related to that discussion.
Passengers should contact their airline to find out about flights, but Aurigny said that it was hoping to clear as much of the backlog of passengers as possible today.
Some Blue Islands inbound flights looked set to remain cancelled for the day, but inter-island flights in and out of Guernsey were put back into the schedule.
Flybe flights remain grounded, with the airline saying that it plans to resume services tomorrow, Wednesday.
An announcement on Guernsey Airport’s information line said that full safety cover resumed at 4pm, but added that there was no indication of how long this might last.
The firemen walked out at about 5pm on Monday, after talks broke down.
Article posted on 26th May, 2009 - 3.49pm
48 Article Comments
If Mr Trotts intervention or involvment has “inspired” this return to work then he needs to be congratulated.
Thank you to the Airport Fire staff for at last adopting a sensible approach to this dispute.
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ALL FLIGHTS CANNED SO THEY GO BACK ON DUTY…SURE YOU DID NOT WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE AIRPORT IS CLOSED AFTER 9PM. GO BACK ON DUTY, GET PAID FOR DOING NOTHING…NICE ONE!!!!
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Thanks very much firefighters for the undoubted damage you have done to the reputation of Guernsey and the added risks you have caused for local jobs. It is difficult to have any sympathy when other essential occupations cannot strike. How quickly do you think the already stressed economy will suffer for your actions.
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What does catergory 6 mean? Airport they are there to a catergory 6, but doesn’t explain what it is!
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So, I’m getting up at 5.30am (again) tomorrow, to drive to Birmingham airport (again) to hopefully catch a flight back to Guernsey (again) which should have left on Monday….let’s hope this time I don’t have to turn around and come back….again!
This was despite the airport help line and Flybe both claiming morning flights would be unaffected….maybe that’s what the firefighters objected to before they flounced out yesterday?
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Just heard a plane fly over my house so hopefully they are getting things moving. Well done Lyndon ………
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i concur with person above. im really looking forward to ANOTHER trip to gatwick tomorrow
thank you firemen
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They are back working in an Airport with all flights but one Aurigny (is one of your mates on that one!!)cancelled.
Are we meant to feel relieved given no commitment to be in tomorrow? I have lost a significant amount of money..but suppose that’s life when you do business from this island.
When visiting business contacts from Europe I always promote our Island and recommend it as a place to visit. No more…I can not have someone booking their annual holiday on my recommendation and then lose part of their valuable time because of the militants at the airport and a goverment who have yet to grasp the importance of the airport to an island. Which decade is this island living in?
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Good to see the airport is open, lets hope it stays that way and people talk about this situation rather then just walk away.
Well done to all involved in getting this back to normal, lets hope it doesn’t happen again.
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So now its back to business as usual I suppose the airport will be open late to clear some of the backlog, naturally the airport fireman on duty will still be expecting their overtime for working after 9pm!!
What a joke!!
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As much as I admire Firefighters I cannot help but to express my disgust at this carry on, I hope they realise the damage they have done to Guernsey, what do they do everyday, perhaps a stint at another airport for a few days might open their eyes I for one am at a loss to know what they do all day, as an ex wife mentioned earlier but out BBQ’s after lunch. Send them to Heathrow for a few hours let them see what work is.
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Not only has the Guernsey economy been affected. Many of you will know that we run a rental company out of Southampton Airport – we have already lost in excess of 30 rental days.
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It would be helpful if aurigny answered the phone!instead of being put on hold for hours!!
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for all of those that have criticised the airport fire service today, I dont for one minute imagine their decisions have been taken lightly, without a great degree of soul searching or on a whim – but I would suggest that failure by the PSRC to attend meetings and resolve this issue promptly is where the blame whole heartedly lies.
Perhaps the general public should be asking the following questions of the PSRC
how many meetings instigated at the request of the ff to resolve this unteniable situation have they agreed to, but failed to attend
why did the PSRC decide to call a meeting yesterday on a bank holiday when it was well documented that the Union representative for the FF was unavailable – he has apparently attended every other previous meeting arranged where the PSRC have failed to turn up
were the fire fighteres given an ultimatum yesterday that resulted in perhaps the PSRC making the ultimate decision to close the airport?
who are the PSRC accountable to, and why have they been allowed to let this situation run for over 12 months without taking it seriously
I do not support industrial action, however the ff appear to have been misrepresented in all media coverage and I dont believe the general public have a true understanding of the underlying issues regarding recruitment, retention and the costs involved of training staff. Their desire is to resolve these issues to reduce the cost to the average tax payer – whereby the PSRC and states of guernsey seem intent on allowing the situation to spiral out of control at more expense to tourism etc
I do know many of the airport fire fighters and my sympathies firmly lie with them, dont think for one minute that they too have not had family, friends or colleagues impacted by the events of the last 6 months – they have done everything possible to draw this to a reasonable conclusion but have not had the buy in from the states of gsy whom I suspect thought it would blow over
perhaps I can even be so bold to suggest that there are underlying reasons which the PRSC have not shared with us as to why they are being positively obstructive to the pay talks
The FF do not earn anywhere near some of the riduclous figures that have been quoted, they are not asking for an enormous sum of money but merely a fair reward for the role and hours that they work
perhaps we should also ask how many fire fighters have been employed over the last 5 year period, how much it has cost to train them and how many of that number are still active in their role – the figures I am sure would be disappointing, following on from that perhaps further questions should be asked of the leadership in the fire service and why they have not had the balls to address these issues directly rather than waiting for their ‘team’ to take the fall for them – poor leadership at best seems to be one of the fundamental areas which requires closer inspection
give the lads a break – they I am sure never wanted the situation to reach this point as they generally hve the publics best interests at heart – i strongly suspect they hve been forced into a corner on purpose by bullying tactics from the states of guernsey and the PRSC
i would rather the ff be on hand to drag me out of a fire rather than the muppets that run our island and econmony – now where did that 75 million go again????
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Eve will comment soon what heroes they are
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ff fan – No one has said that the firefighters job’s aren’t a very important one, nor that they should not be rewarded for their services.
People are annoyed at them because they have cost people thousands of pounds, have inconvenienced a LOT of people, tarnished the islands reputation and made them selves look very selfish due to their actions yesterday and today, which you can see the public’s point of view.
You’re obviously in the ‘know’ as to what’s happening and to whos to blame, but to the general public, the firefighters are the people who are striking, and causing all the disruption, and of course are mostly to blame for what’s happened.
I think the firefighters should be rewarded well for what they do, it is an important job and one that I by no means would ever be able to do, however, holding the island ransom to their needs is very selfish, I’m very personal about this subject, as i’ve worked 7 days a week for months to afford a luxury holiday, and now that looks like it could be in jeopardy because of the industrial action, so maybe I should go on strike because I worked hard for no reward.
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How can this have happened in February and not have been sorted out by May! It makes a laughing stock of Guernsey, affects business, tourism and Guernsey’s reputation. Get it sorted so it doesn’t happen again. I am shocked at the incompetence that was required to let this happen.
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Smells like a set up to me. LT wades in saves the day? Unlikely without a promise to disband PSRC. LT looks good, Ron gets rid of PSRC.
Guernsey politics is turning incredibly ugly.
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Does ff stand for funny fantasists by any chance. It does if this paragraph is anything to go by:
“give the lads a break – they I am sure never wanted the situation to reach this point as they generally hve the publics best interests at heart – i strongly suspect they hve been forced into a corner on purpose by bullying tactics from the states of guernsey and the PRSC”
You’re ‘avin a laugh ff fan. Substitute ‘airport firefighters’ for states of guernsey and ‘Unite in the form of Ron Le Cras’ for PRSC (or should it be PSRC) and I think we might have a slightly more accurate picture!
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Check the live arrivals board. Aurigny flying late into the night. FlyBE cancelled. Need I say more? FlyBE will blame this on the Fireman, but will always cancel, rather than fly. Aurigny Regional flights will always go, not cancel, unless there is absolutely no way they can fly. This is why I am proud of my airline, well done Aurigny.
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I Can’t believe the sack and hang them high brigade. I take it these are the same people who called for witches to be burnt at the stake in a previous life. Lets get real it would close the airport for more than a couple of day’s to train a new crew. Secondly I liked Al Brouards Dunkirk spirit on CTV News tonight, I seem to recall that was a big disaster too. If North Korea sends missiles over here I hope I can put my head in the sand as deep as the PSRC
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Please lets stop blaming the PSRC for what has happened over the last 2 days the only ones to blame are the Airport ff’s. This was clearly a carefully planned action to cause as much heart ache and disruption to the traveling public. Who at the end of the day pay the wages of the ff’s at the Airport through taxes. Yes the PSRC have had a part to play, but this action has not affected the paymasters just joe public like you and me!
I have spoken to a FF in the last week who informed me that a recent offer of an additional £3000.00 on gross pay and £3000.00 for call back had been turned down! this was because they are holding out for an extra £8000.00 in total. These are obscene figures in the present economic climate with job loses and company’s going down the drain, airport ff’s get real and take a look around.
If boredom is a factor of the job then lets make use of the men on duty like i believe they do in alderney and get them to assist in some form of maintenance of the airport.
In agreement with FF Fan on one fact, this is probably down to poor management with in the airport fire crew and this should be looked at thoroughly with heads rolling if needed.
Enough said!
Consider your actions and who it effects as this action has only alienated the public who really you need on your side..
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I have to say the posts previously along the lines of ‘would you like to work on your day off?’ or ‘would you like to do lots of forced overtime?’. My answer to that is yes I would accept it if the vast majority of my work hours just consisted about sitting around chatting, working out at the gym and generally having a rather stress free time compared to many of the rest of us who have an extremely stressful time at work most of the time.
They can’t have it all ways, either they can have a stressful hardworking well paid job with fixed hours (i.e. get a job in a bank back-office) or they can have what they have a low stress job with longer hours and lower paid.
I’m glad they are back at work.
They should never be allowed to strike again.
Guernsey government make contingency plans. Change the contracts so they can’t hold us all to ransom again.
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We can only imagine the mental torment that [hopefully] presages strike action in the minds of workers in such a vital role as airport F+R services. This however is so crucial on so many levels, commercial, political, personal, to the island that the continuation of such a dilemma must be removed.
Despite my lifelong trades union background I do believe that, given the pivotal nature of their profession in this insular context, the staff in question should be required, in return for a fair salary – kept in pace with inflation [as others in the public sector] – to sign a “no strike” agreement in compensation for and in recognition of this.
Always bearing in mind that:-
1. The job security and benefits package being hopefully not over generous, will be envied by very many in the private sector.
2. Essential though it is [and I do stand to be corrected] I can recollect no time in the 35 years that I have lived on the Island, that the Airport F+R service has had to deal with a real “burning plane” emergency rescue at the Airport or elsewhere [foam spraying for undercarriage warning lights and - very rarely - scheduled traffic overshoots excepted].
PS
I hear that the dispute has been resolved.
Well Hallelujah!
[I've just wasted hundreds of pounds on alternative travel arrangements for a necessary connection in London]
Sleep easy Airport F+R
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This just proves how important they are to the airport, and to the island.
It all leads down to the states, and the states are at fault. I do not blame the firefighters, I would do the same in that situation.
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ff fan, just having read your comments, I think I can understand a little of where you are coming from.
Having spent almost three years being involved with milk retailers and their subsequent fight to try to protect their investments they made in a Guernsey product, I have heard similar things with regard to bullying tactics of the commerce and employment department at that time (which from what you are saying in this instance is very similar to those used in the milk retailers debacle). Unfortunately deputies just seem to have to be seen to win at all costs and as a consequence, this whole situation is an embarrassment. They cannot meet halfway because it all becomes “personal”. I do not know what the answer is as I do not have the full facts but that again is one of our states of guernsey’s tricks – they don’t want anyone to know the facts so they will twist things in any way they can so they start to believe only they are always right. I would say, from experience of attending states debates with regard to the two milk debates, it is all about egos and there are many ministers and deputies with “big egos”.
However, I do not condone striking in this manner as it hurts the ordinary person (many who earn the same or even less than the firefighters). People who have saved for holidays, half-term – ridiculous timing to say the least! I know if it was my family going for a holiday now I would be so upset.
Our island is reliant on financial business and again this is extremely embarrassing. My husband has had to cancel two appointments with potential clients in London today but thankfully, after booking on two other flights today (in hope), he has managed to get off this island this evening for his onward trip to see other clients in Europe. This island has a black hole, but again the states can’t count what they have in their purse – as in the past week, they can’t seem to add up their figures – so I put it to them, can we trust they are up to the job? I think not!
I think you may have gathered that I want to understand the fire fighters’ claim (but find it a bit difficult without the full story) and at the same time I have no faith in our local government whatsoever!
But, please, please sort it out now!
And other posters, please do not use the “emotional blackmail” of “…. how grateful you should be if the FF’s were to pull you out of a burning plane”….. Of course anyone would be grateful, there is no need to state the obvious!
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Dear FF Fan
Some great questions asked of the Government. Although I am sure there are many individuals and travellers who are upset by the action by the Fire Fighters, but you must balance that with some of the information coming out about the lack of Government action to conclude this situation.
I am not sure how many new Fire Fighters have been trained and subsequently left the force, if it is a lot then you have to look at the working conditions, the management as well as the remuneration issue.
The Guernsey Police have been in a similar position, they have no problem with recruiting new staff, but it is the retention issue which means they never reach their full staffing levels. Being on the end of a very bad decision by PRSC (in the former Government under Deputy le Tocq), I can talk from experience how badly they manage these situations – or not!
Please support the Fire Fighters in their action, we need them and I can tell you as a former FF and Police Officer, the last thing they want to do is strike, believe me. They train to save lives, not put them at risk!!
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Last week we heard that problems with the airport fireman were managerial problems then all of a sudden there is full blown strke action. What has happened in between?.
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“Send them to Heathrow for a few hours let them see what work is.” – Because planes are always dropping out of the sky at Heathrow aren’t they?? Bit of a daft comment that Caroline. Bit like most of the comments on here actually. I for one hope the firefighters hold to get what they deserve.
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James:-
I’m glad you are proud of your airline, but I’m not, your taxes are propping up it’s loss making carcase.
It’s another huge waste of OUR money.
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Our flight was scheduled with Aurigny at 19.40 which was then cancelled and rebooked for 9.45pm. There were lots of people flying with flybe that have been stranded for days! As I understand it the planes are too big to come in as there aren’t enough fireman.
There were several empty seats on our flight so I don’t know what all that was about as people who were rebooked with Aurigny for this morning were told last nights were full! Also I don’t know why it is compulsory to provide a telephone number if Aurigny never contact you to let you know there is a problem!
Someone should be made to pay for all those poor people stranded for days in the UK who are out of pocket due to travelling back and forth, hotels etc – we were lucky to get back. We were on a tight budget for our trip and couldnt of afforded a few extra nights.
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What is interesting is I was talking to a friend of mine who is an Airport Firefighter-and he and most of the “lads on the ground” are just as bemused of the situation as the rest of the public. They seem fairly satisfied with their package (as much as anyone ever is, lets face it we would all like more) but not to the point of making any noise about it. They feel it is very much the top brass that are causing this, the older officers looking at reitrement searching for the golden egg as it were. The dilemma for the lads on the ground is – if they do not fall into line with top brass – their lives will be made very difficult. If only we could force them all to re-apply for their jobs with new tighter contracts, I wonder how many would actually get their job again?
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All you firefighers at the airport should be totally ashamed of yourselves, by taking the action that you did you have caused so so much disruption for so many people and damage to the island, the majority of guernsey people all think that you should all be instantly sacked,who do you think you are holding guernsey to ransom !!!
guernsy should have got rid of the lot of you and paid to have good firefighters from the UK or from somewhere else who are grateful for their jobs to come in and take over your jobs, you would never like all this hassle done to you, so dont try and do it to others,
We all think that you should give a full appology to everyone about all this hassle you have caused, it is about time that more people in general showed abit more gratitude for things in life,,, Gratitude,, learn it ,,, practice it ,,, and you will be much happier,,,,
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The States of Guernsey and the firefighters should be ashamed of themselves – what is the point of spending money on tourism promotion when the actions of a few can hold the island to ransom! My husband thanks to Manches Iles Express managed to get over to Jersey and then flew on from there but he was one of the lucky few. The majority who were on the boat to Jersey made the point that they will never return to Guernsey after this fiasco.
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Well said Mrs P – I know the more parochial among us love to bash Flybe at every opportunity but it is utterly ridiculous to point fingers at them on this occcasion.
Flybe (or indeed Aurigny) are not responsible for this mess, if they cannot land their aircraft because the firemen are on strike, that’s hardly their fault is it? In fact I understand from a friend caught up in this mess that Flybe transferred people onto other flights at no charge – something they were under no obligation to do
Rather than blaming airlines I suggest fingers are pointed in a more appropriate direction!
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“The dilemma for the lads on the ground is – if they do not fall into line with top brass – their lives will be made very difficult”
One of the most interesting points made yet. And apparent by the rabid arrogant henchman of Ron Le Cras on the radio last week.
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Yetti’s last post makes very interesting reading……if this is true, and I hope it is, then we have a whole different issue going on here. Any chance your friend and his mates that understand their job and reward package is ok want to go public with their opinions? Their “top brass” are civil servants also, so their bosses are us.
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Oh please nobby, do you know what firefighters employed at the airport do? Fortunately they do not stand around waiting for planes to fall out of the sky, Guernsey or Heathrow, the damage has been truly done to the Island, the public have very little faith now in travel arrangements to Guernsey, this will have a substantial knock on affect to all businesses, surely the powers at be who called the strike should have taken this into consideration, from the amount of press & TV coverage it has been well publicised.
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I am quite shocked to hear rumours that the firefighters were paid £4,000 to go back to work yesterday, tax payers money, if this is true then I think it is disgraceful. From what I understand the firefighters get paid a very good wage for the work they do, more then I do, and in this current climate where people are losing their jobs and finding it very difficult to find another I would be grateful that I had work. I think this whole situation has been dealt with badly and I do not support the firefighters for the strike.
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Up the workers.
If some of the Guernsey population have bought into the states media management of this debacle, an emergency service understaffed and unable to operate without goodwill, then more fool them.
Stick to your guns, not for extra money, but for a full compliment of staff.
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Well said Bryn!!
as you can see from events in the states overnight – this whole debacle is more about politicians and the PSRC’s egos than it is about the fundamental underlying issues – I am sure the fire fighters would be the first to welcome a public enquiry so that the shabby treatment of them for the last 3 years is communicated to the general public – I am sure all those of you who see fit to belittle them without knowing the full facts may then change your tune – quickly!
The FF have not responded to the media as they did not want to turn this into a ‘he said’ ’she said’ debate – it is and always has been an issue which the PSRC have been aware of for 3 years but failed to take timely action to resolve
well done to the politicians and HR representatives who had the balls to make decisions about this – they should be applauded for taking a common sense approach and resolving it when clearly the PSRC could not manage or negotiate this situation effectively – i would beg the question ‘ would they have had more luck with a paper bag’!
As for the pay – i strongly suspect those of you contributing to this forum sit in your nice plush banking offices getting paid a queens ransom and are on ‘loan’ to us locals from the uk – how lucky we are
The fire fighters are all local boys, with local families – they are doing the job that ‘banking’ types would not be caught dead doing – where would we be without these workers together with the other many local manual workers in employment who do the island a service
I sincerely hope that the ambulance, police and customs offices also now get on the band wagon as they too have been shoddily treated in regards to pay and reward for the roles that they do undertake for the island – all those departments that have had pay reviews cocked up by the PSRC over the last 3 years deserve the right to have them reviewed
Bring on a Public Review – the fire fighters actions will be wholly exonerated as they have acted in good faith until such time the PSRC just took the complete p&%*& – I am only suprised no one has been arrested for assault because it must have been surely tempting when faced with an arrogant team of PSRC members whose idea of negotiation is saying the word ‘no’ constantly and puffing out their chests
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Neville Gallienne:
point 2. on the 12/01/99 an f27 crashed near to forest road garage
There have been others before that and since.
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Hey well done FF fan, always worth bringing out the local/non-local argument………It’s people like you who have some strange and bizarre view on life that really shouldn’t be allowed to comment on situations like this.
Yes, banking types probably wouldn’t be caught dead being an airport fireman. And an airport fireman probably wouldn’t want to be a banker (or have the neccessary skills to be a banker). So what? If an airport fireman is unhappy with his wages and job conditions, then he has the option to resign and do another job. One of the benefits of having some many bankers on “loan” to Guernsey is that we have a fairly strong economy (but people like you can’t see the bigger picture, can you?)
You say the FF have not responded to the media because of a desire not to turn the whole thing into a “he said/she said” debate. I would suggest the real reason is because they realise they will lose total public support once their demands are known.
I do agree with you about the PSRC being useless. Both they and Unite have acted terribly in this whole dispute.
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Thank goodness the Chief Minister and Policy Council finally got involved.
I don’t know the rights and wrongs of the dispute but the Public Sector Remunerations Committee seemed unable to resolve it, so someone else had to sort it for the good of this island.
Perhaps we should have Human Resources professionals sorting out pay and conditions rather than Deputies who are only amateurs.
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MANY MANY OF US ARE DISSATISFIED WITH OUR JOBS LONG HOURS SHIFTWORK POOR PAY.I HAVE BEEN TOLD TODAY SORRY NO PAYRISE THIS YEAR THEN TO HEAR THAT THIS BUNCH OF PATHTIC INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN AWARDED 4 THOUSAND EACH FOR STRIKING LIKE CHILDREN THROWING A TANTRUM BEGGARS BELIEF.THEY DONT DESERVE ANY SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC AS THEY ARE VERY SELF CENTERED PEOPLE USING BLACKMAIL IS NOT VERY NICE.
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L: Perhaps you should do like a lot of people have suggested we do if we don’t like our job. Leave and get a new one. Apply for the Airport Firefighters job if its o great.
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Having travelled out of the Island with my young family on Monday for a few days away and worrying about our return,I have to say in defence of the airport firefighters saga. Yes, sack them all, who are we going to bring in ? oh I know foreign workers! Lets get real in all this.The firefighters at Guernsey Airport are highly trained in this profession the same as others such as Heathrow/Gatwick/Manchester.
Oh did we use those big Airports in the same breathe? Yes thats right the Heathrow/Gatwick/Manchester airport firefighters probably enjoy a BBQ and also a competion in the local paper (involving a Fisher Price Firefighters game). However what some of you are obviously forgetting is recently the G.BNCY or the tragic Channel Express incident that the Guernsey Airport firefighters had to deal with, not forgetting numerous first aid shouts and full emergency/local standby’s that the public do not get to hear about. Just because they dont have to deal with road accidents everyday does not mean that any day in their working lives that they will not see a disaster unfold before their eyes. Oh sorry Guernsey People I forgot, they are already well paid for this!!
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sm: Unlike you I can’t just strike and blackmail to get a pay rise . i wouldnt use blackmail tactics anyway its disgusting,stop and think all you firefighters you should be ashamed of yourselves.
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