Chief Minister Lyndon Trott shakes hands with one of the airport firefighters when he arrived for a meeting with them yesterday. On the left is States head of HR Simon Elliott, Guernsey Press reporter Joel de Woolfson, centre, and editor Richard Digard, right. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0779310)
AIRPORT firefighters dramatically returned to work yesterday afternoon following nearly three hours of talks with Chief Minister Lyndon Trott.
The meeting followed an invitation to Guernsey Press editor Richard Digard to hear the men’s grievances at first hand following what they regarded as hostile coverage of the industrial action in yesterday’s Guernsey Press.
That led to Deputy Trott also being asked to attend and, during the course of the briefing, firefighters presented new head of States human resources Simon Elliott with a possible solution to the action.
As a gesture of goodwill, the fire crews also offered to provide full cover with immediate effect and their shop steward called the control tower at 3.30pm to break the unexpected news.
They have agreed to continue to provide full cover for the rest of the day while more talks take place.
The development took management and airlines by surprise as they were dealing with the consequences of all flights having been cancelled, but Aurigny was the first away with an Alderney arrival landing at 4.45pm.
The airport stayed open until 10.45pm to handle Aurigny flights from Manchester and Gatwick.
There were some inter-island flights, but Flybe did not operate any flights.
The firefighters’ decision was welcomed by the Kidd family,
After a stressful day involving a number of changes of travel plans, they turned up at the airport on chance when they heard flying had resumed and will be able to reach Spain for their holiday.
‘All together we have spent about £500 on flights and ferries. We have changed flights about four or five times in a desperate attempt to go on holiday. It will be a relief when we land,’ said Andrew Kidd.
While the reopening of the airport was welcomed by everyone, the damage to the island’s reputation and certain businesses has been significant.
Questions also remain about what Unite, the men’s union, has been offered by the States following consideration of the firefighters’ temporary solution and why this matter has been allowed to drag on for more than two years.
The Policy Council is expected to release further details later today and will also have to respond to calls for a full public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the latest industrial action and to consider all relevant matters.
The men blame the States own negotiators, the Public Sector Remuneration Committee and a breakdown of trust and confidence for them being forced to withdraw cover.
Article posted on 27th May, 2009 - 2.30pm
62 Article Comments
“while more talks take place.”
Let’s hope they don’t walk out again if they don’t get what they want.
By the way Chef’s on this island work far harder, just as long and for less pay.
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An independent publication should not get so directly involved in politics. How can you trust the Press to be unbiased in its coverage when it is so closely involved with the story?
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There are a lot of people who work harder for less pay but they like you jas are not responsible for peoples lives in case of an accident. I am not saying they are right in striking but they are paid for what they know not fot what they do.
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Completely agree John. I was stuck in Gatwick for the last 2 days having supposed to come back to Guernsey Monday afternoon. As annoying as it has been, I don’t think for one second the strike decision was taken lightly. As usual it’s the States putting their fingers in their ears when it comes to the local population. These firefighters have holidays and family time cancelled at the last minute because there isn’t enough cover if a colleague is sick. We all moan about our jobs, but come on, the majority of us are actually able to book a holiday/time off, safe in the knowledge we will actually get to go. I can’t imagine wanting to work for a place where I couldn’t do this.
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GOOD WILL !!! to return to work and do what thay are being paid to do–am I missing something ?????
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J
Would you prefer the airport to remain closed?
It seems that without the intervention of the Press and its editor the airport would still be closed.
So what if Richard Digard has a crow or two. At least he did something positive and got a result.
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It is very rare for chefs to be asked to fight potentially highly explosive fires and risk their lives for people that they do not know.
Just because airport emergencies are not a daily occurance should not detract from a persons decision to put the safety of others before themselves on a day to day basis.
A lot of people have stated that the fire fighters have disrupted the air traffic for personal and selfish reasons. However, if these people were not willing to take on great personal risk in the first place there would be NO air traffic at all.
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“As a gesture of goodwill, the fire crews also offered to provide full cover with immediate effect and their shop steward called the control tower at 3.30pm to break the unexpected news.”
What would have been a gesture of good will is to not strike in the first place but continue the original talks and not walk out in a hissy fit.
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Ah, so the airport firemen have been saying the key issue is about the amount of time they have to spend away from their families, on call all the time and so on… and yet the solution acceptable to them is… money. How exactly this will address the time constraints I have yet to work out!
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Guernsey has long had a reputation for a “docile” workforce. People have worked for a pittance, we still have no minimum wage, and employment legislation (or lack of it) is a joke. I’m surprised that the firefighters have put up with the position for so long. And suggest that this may be the first in a series of strikes by various aggrieved groups of workers.
People deserve a fair wage, and fair working conditions. When talks fail, direct action is the only option. Too long have the workers of Guernsey let themselves be bullied and mistreated. Let this be the summer of rage, as predicted in the UK, when people actually stand up for themselves.
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Would I rather the airport were still closed ? I was stuck in the UK and have now got back – but I would gladly still be stuck rather than give in to blackmail.
The firefighters keep saying that money isn’t the issue – so why is it that yet again money has brought them back to work ?
If they get the extra staff they think they need will they really be happy with their new lower wages ( because all that lucrative overtime will disappear ……. )
Firefighters do a difficult and potentially dangerous job – for which they should take pride and deserve our respect.
Can any of the firefighters say that they are proud of the consequences of their recent actins ? And can anyone say they respect the firefighters for what they have done ?
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“So what if Richard Digard has a crow or two. At least he did something positive and got a result.”
I think we should wait to see what that ‘result’ is. If it’s at great cost to the public purse may be it isn’t so great.
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Just to put the cat amongst the birds, the truth is now emerging this was not good will but a lucritive 4 figure sum, as a sweetner! On monday the duty crew saw that their action of dropping to Cat. 5. was not having the desired effect on the traveling public! So they decided to withdraw fire cover totally so causing misery and heartache to familys trying to leave Guernsey.
I would like to congratulate those persons resposible for offering this money to the airport ff’s. As i can not wait for other states dept’s to jump on the bandwagon, just imagine cess pits overflowing, rubbish in the streets, children not being taught, or houses being left to burn!!!!!!!!
Lets open the flood gates and give all states employees massive payrise’s because i think they all deserve it. come on Ron le cras stir up the other people you represent into strike action!!!
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What a disgusting climb-down by our politicians. Each firefighter to get an extra £4000!. I am not surprised the PSRI has resigned en masse, their feet were swept away from them by Mr Trott, for the sake of expediency.
If these politicians had not done something much sooner we would not be in this position.
Amalgamate both firehouses and close one down….lets at least try and recoup part of the £120 000 in extra pay. Mr Trott should immediately resign over this debacle…..shameful!
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J – Are you seriously suggesting that up to now the GP have been unbiased in it’s reporting of this affair.
I’m amazed they let him out of there alive.
I’m even more amazed Mr Digard accepted THIER invitation.
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Well done the firemen .Next time ask for 10 grand you deserve it.
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come on guys its not hard work is it and how many crashes and fires you got to deal with? and most of the day your playing snooker sack the lot of them!!
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Agree with you 100% Jon.
If the key issue is time away from families then that is easily fixed by recruiting more workers. Lets face it, how hard is it to get a first aid certificate? not very! The other fire-fighter training may be a bit more extensive but seriously not too taxing compared to many other jobs out there. Nursing is a 3 year degree and they get paid a pittance! They work shifts, overtime, on call, on weekends, emergencies, at nights etc etc.
There are a lot of people who have been recently made redundant who would love a new job as a firefighter so there is ample opportunity for management to snap up these persons while they still can. But this is not what management is doing, they are striking over PAY. Now that is okay but just say what you want, why whinge about conditions when all you want is extra pay? Conditions are the role of management to solve, not the states.
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This island is run by incompetents.
Lyndon Trott should resign.
Ron Le Cras should hang his head in shame in causing island wide misery all because he had a hissy fit at not being invited/included at a meeting (what cost to the island his ego?) and then join the other dinosaurs and become extinct.
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What an absolute disgrace.
What about when the next public department decides it wants more money? There’s a significant danger of a precedent being set, and I wouldn’t bet against that militant Le Cras recommending to union members (be they bin men, sewage cart drivers or whoever) that they simply refuse to work until such time as they secure an inevitable pay rise from Trott and the rest of the fools on the Emergency Powers Authority.
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Our masters have failed to notice that the blackmailer is never satisfied; he has been coming back for more and more, again and again. There is every reason to believe that even more demands will be made in the future.
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May I suggest if islanders want to register their disapproval of these public servants may I suggest they stop employing them to wash windows , hire their trucks etc (all part time jobs which they do!!!)which will really show solidarity with those directly affected by this thoughtless action.
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How long before the next local elections? Too long. Let’s see how much money our government can p*** up the wall in the next few years before a lot of them lose their positions.
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Oh dear, the Guernsey Press is now our saviour! By personally getting involved the GP editor has ensured that impartiality has gone, hence the personal backing of Trott in todays Press. It is clearly wrong for 6 people to give in to blackmail and shoulder the rest of us with the consequences. The bully boys at the airport along with the bully boy antics of Trott & co, a meeting of minds!!! I am realy concerned for the future of this island now . If anything is to come from this shambles then the next few months should reveal that the time bought was be used to remove the trouble makers, recruit new and ensure contracts do not allow this to happen again.
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Grazy and others, are you seriously suggesting that it would be preferable that there were Aircraft crashes and fires occurring weekly at Guernsey Airport so that fire fighters had “ something to do” Of course you would, as you are someone that thinks “it will never happen to me”, it will be others souls on board that will need rescue.
I would expect every right minded individual to hope that every Airport Fireman wherever they worked worldwide, trained as they all are to deal with serious Aircraft crashes, would never have to deal with one. Please show some respect and acknowledgement for the great job they perform and always remember they all will put their lives on the line to rescue any airline passenger in a crash situation.
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“so why is it that yet again money has brought them back to work ?”
Miraculous isn’t it? There we were all thinking it was ‘time with the family’ LMAO
What a bunch of fibbing toe rags!
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Why has no public apology been published? They got what they wanted at our expense. Have none of the firemen the intellect to understand the inconvenience they caused us. Typically selfish and self centred – a common Guernsey trait!
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A number of new questions arise now..
How does recieving 4K per year ensure that the firefighters won’t get sick or take annual leave?
They are still entitled to be sick and have annual leave?
Are they going to be less sick now that have another 4K?
Are they going to have less annual leave?
Have they had to sign a new contract that makes them less sick?
Remembering that this dispute arose because the level of sickness cover was low. How can 4K PA make a difference in teh short term?
Maybe they’ll be just as sick, we’ll still have no cover, but they will have another 4K.
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The firemen have taken this interim payment in order to promise to provide cover for all flights. The negotiations about extra staff which will mean they no longer have to work endless extra shifts to cover training, holidays and occasional sickness is ongoing. They do not want to work these endless extra shifts but realise that it was the only way to take things forward in the immediate future.
Whatever they do is wrong in your eyes isn’t it? Would you be happier if there were air disasters on a weekly basis to justify the firemen working? I would not.
I think in this instance Lyndon Trott did the right thing along with the other members of his committee.
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I can’t believe the continued small mindedness of many who continue to slam the firefighters. At the end of the day it has taken them 2 1/2 years to get to this point. As others have mentioned, 18 people quit in 3 years-at £30,000 to train each one of them-that has cost the states £540,000 in wasted training and experience not to mention the several thousands having to be paid to the airlines in compensation in the last 12 months. HAd the states been reasonable and sensible 2 years ago then they would have saved the public a lot of time and distress. They have been using the passengers as a pawn and relying on the ff good will’. How long were they meant to go on for before reacting. It was very unfortunate that the airport closed but more unfortunate that no one in the states showed some genuine leadership and common sense prior to now.
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Rocky
Grazy and others, are you seriously suggesting that it would be preferable that there were Aircraft crashes and fires occurring weekly at Guernsey Airport so that fire fighters had “ something to do” Of course you would, as you are someone that thinks “it will never happen to me”,
i cant see anywhere in grazy`s comments where he suggested any of that. your just making it up as you go along.
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Delayed
Typically selfish and self centred – a common Guernsey trait!
here we go again with more rubbish.
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You’ve heard of weather forecasts, so based on recent events here is the news forecast for the remainder of 2009…
June 2009 – PSD employees at States Works demand a rise based on their low pay and conditions. Industrial action leads to health hazards around the island due to waste not being disposed of (sewage, rubbish etc). President of Guernsey, Lyndon Trott, decides that he doesn’t like the bad odours and awards them a cash incentive of £3,000 each to return to work.
July 2009 – Teachers decide that their very low rise at the beginning of the year was poor by comparison to other employee groups. They take industrial action leading to schools having to close, resulting in hundreds of parents having to stay home to look after their children (remember the snow?!). Sir Lyndon Trott decides he doesn’t want all those teenagers hanging around in Town so gives the teachers £5,000 each to return to work.
August 2009 – nurses decide that they are neglected by comparison to other pay groups. They work minimum hours which, combined with the latest outbreak of swine fever, results in wards being closed to non-urgent cases, operations being cancelled and the health system being unable to cope. Lord Trott doesn’t want all those unhealthy people wandering the streets of Guernsey so awards the nurses an extra £6,000 a year to return to work.
September 2009 – airport firefighters decide their revised pay doesn’t leave them in such a favourable position any more. They go on strike, forcing the airport to close to all but emergency flights. King Trott decides that perhaps this wasn’t the way to go after all…
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Well Done FireFighters!! Maybe all the moaning minnies out there will think differently when something goes awfully wrong when they are coming in to land and you guys are spurred into action. I am sure that once you have got everyone out safley, you will be told your worth your weight in gold, from all the grateful people you have just saved!! But until that frightful day you will have to put up with the narrow minded lack of support from the GSY public….. great. Don’t lose faith guys you all do a fab job can the same be said for the states????
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For once I agree with the ‘Mrs’!
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I was one of those that could not fly on Tuesday
It was a business trip – a presentation for a serious contract
All our UK competitors made it there – I didn’t
Times are tough ….. the last month has been focussed on this contract.
TO OUR STATES MEMBERS
1) How Mickey Mouse for Tuesdays situation to occur
2) How right for our Emergency Powers to act
3) The buck stops at the top
TO OUR AIRPORT FIREFIGHTERS
1) It’s a recession, be grateful that you have a job – due to your actions i may not have one in the near future. Striking was wrong
2) I understand that it’s not just about the money. I’m a family man and likewise get upset when work clashes with family time
3) 18 colleagues quitting within the last 3 years. Is that right ? Someone deserves a hard kick up the a**e ! I guess that after a couple of years you decided to kick us all
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Does anyone know how I can claim Compensation off the states for this mess given non Guernsey airlines will not be refunding me anything? Looking for around £1000 to cover 3 flights + 3 nights accomodation.
Can they advise and look to put in a compensation scheme to guarantee that their incompetence will not cost the people of Guernsey again in such a way.
Privatise the airport and get rid of ALL union involvement on this island. We pay a landing charge that should ensure subject to weather that all facilities at the airport are operational.
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Yes that’s right PC, let’s exploit people just to make YOUR life easier!
The attitude towards the very people that make Guernsey work for YOUR benefit stinks on this island (and the UK).
You’d be moaning a lot more if they had worked under contracted conditions and probably demanded the States step in and recruit more.
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All of us need to get some perspective.
Yes the firemen may spend a lot of time sitting around waiting for nothing to happen, but then so do the Town firemen, and the ambulance drivers. The fact is that they are prepared, every day, to put their lives at risk to protect ours, a fact which should earn them our respect. Every year when your life insurance renewals come up do you all moan about the money you have wasted because you haven’t died ? Is your house insurance a waste because it hasn’t burned down this year ? Or are you grateful that nothing bad has happened to cause you need to make a claim ?
Sadly the firefighters actions of late have effectively lost them this respect. With great power comes great responsibilty – they had the power to bring the airport to a standstill, to force the States to give them money, and they chose to abuse this power at a time that caused problems for travelling families – I consider that a despicable act not worthy of those who have such a noble job.
If the firefighters had, over a year ago when this all started, put out a public statement that working conditions were intolerable and something needed to be done perhaps they would still have our sympathy. Carrying on as normal only after repeated finiancial handouts only confirms the public view that this dispute is about money, not working conditions. If they only wanted to sit down and talk about working conditions then why not do just that, and donate all the money, that isn’t what they want or need, to some local charities? If working conditions were really that intolerable then why didn’t they resign en masse, explaining the problem in full? That would have made their employers sit up, take notice, and actually do something. And perhaps they all might have maintained their dignity and the respect and support of the public.
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I have just read the Press and notice that in a lead article it states that in a local “Poll” there is an overwhelming support for the intervention of the CM.
How “one eyed” and biased can your organ get!!!
The Submarine Poll was sent to all members of the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce hardly an unbiased representative of the Guernsey electorate.
I am not usually critical of the Press approach to reporting leading events ,but please, I think you should take a step back and not get involved in such contraversial disputes.
Stick to what you do best ,report the news don’t make it!!!
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Well done Dick.
The press for some time now seems to want to dictate what its readers should be thinking. No longer impartial it seems to be just a mouth piece for the editor’s own opinion. I wonder what direction its views would have been if its editor had not visited the airport with LT and had found out about his cash giveaway from other media sources, as most deputies did. Be careful GP we want impartial news coverage from the monopoly that is the Guernsey Press.
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May I suggest if islanders want to register their disapproval of these public servants may I suggest they stop employing them to wash windows , hire their trucks etc (all part time jobs which they do!!!)which will really show solidarity with those directly affected by this thoughtless action.
Nice one Dick. Second jobs are done for a reason such as a basic wage of 21k. Would you rather these lads take the easy option and apply for a states house and be a drain on society?
Also, why is it acceptable for Sam Maindonald to have 2 jobs. We all know where her priorities lie. Would like to see some of you guys step up to the plate and come up to the station to try our recruitment process. Those who pass can then have an opinion wether they would want to join or not. In fact why not do this as i would love to watch the majority throwing up whilst failing to meet the standards!!!!!!
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I’m still opuzzled as to why the firefighters chose to go for an all out strike when they had complete control by simply working to contract.
By striking, even if the PSRC had simply re tabled its previous offer, would have left the strikers with no income as compared with full esrnings if they did not provide out of contract cover.
The speed with which the settlemeent was brokered, the presence of the HR chap, the Press support, might suggest that the firefighters, when they went for a full strike, could have been aware that a white knight was just around the corner.
But surely this is conspiracy theory and not what reallly happened. Is it?
All of this just days before a tribunal that would have settled matters and imposed a binding settlement.
.
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“Also, why is it acceptable for Sam Maindonald to have 2 jobs. We all know where her priorities lie”
OMG, I agree with geoff! She appears to play this working mum thing to the nth degree. As for her idiotic comments suggesting she would not blame them if they wanted to go on strike.
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Hi Dick
Just a bit of background on our polling. Our contact database is made up of some 2000 email addresses of which we generally return around a 20% response. That response rate is far above the industry standard.
The contact database is made up of emails collected over our last 10 years of trading and it is true that a percentage will include Chamber of Commerce Members. With all of our releases we include a standard caveat that alerts the media recipients that we do not claim the results to be a true island demographic profile. However, having prepared and submitted some 30 odd topical surveys to the media I am quite confident that the responses aren’t far off the public sentiment on any given issue. Proof of this will be the Island Wide Voting Survey that proved 100% accurate in 3 wards and accurately predicted Brian de Jersey losing his seat. I remember very well one commentator on Radio Guernsey, a UK professor, being rather sniffy at the pre-release of the results on polling night and having to eat his words as the results came in.
The response to this survey was quite phenomenal as, clearly, there was no one in the island who did not either has an opinion on the subject or had been affected by the action. The survey went out on the Tuesday/Wednesday night when all that was known was that the Chief Minister had had a discussion with the Fire Fighters along with Richard Digard and the Airport was now open. Over the survey period most people, I would suggest, were not aware that a pay deal had been struck – that much I will concede. However, given the 75% response over that short period and the pre release of the results, it’s unlikely that with the new information will affect the response. I am certain of this as the survey is still running and we have had an extra 200 responses and the change is now 73% approval for the Chief Ministers Intervention.
We are keen to build on this database and you are more than welcome to add your name to the broadcast system. You will sometimes receive broadcasts from Submarine and other times you will receive surveys. The address is (ignore the blurb and just add your email address, we don’t need to know your name) at http://www.submarine.gg/2008
I will be the first to admit that any surveying is an imperfect science. But please give us some credit as the only company that keeps an eye on local issues and tries its damndest to provide interesting surveys and useful results on a variety of subjects. We tend to avoid issues regarding individual politicians but as the events of earlier this week were so extraordinary how could we resist?
There were a number of other results that came from the survey a call for no strike legislation along with commentary on how the public felt about the firelighters and the PSRC. Strangely, neither party did very well out of this and the confusing messages coming through the main protagonists would suggest a fair amount of public confusion on the issue. Of course the media took the headline figure – but you can’t blame them, that’s what they do isn’t it?
I look forward to all of the GP contributors joining the survey broadcast
Neil Inder
Director
Submarine Limited
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Ironic that the Press Comment posted at 2.2opm on 26 May said “This matter needs to be advanced to compulsory arbitration as swiftly as possible so a settlement can be imposed – the very compromise firefighters signed up to on 20 February”
At the very moment that the Comment was being posted the Press was seemingly party to an action that could mortally damage the established States procedures that include arbitration.
I presume that like the purchase of the two ships the action of the glorious seven will have to be agreed by the States. That will be an interesting debate. What happens if the States refuse to approve the action?
Another mass resignation debate ?
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Geoff and Jackie, it is acceptable for me to have 2 jobs because I was elected having 2 jobs – just like our Chief Minister and several others.
As for my attendance record perhaps (and not for the first time Geoff) you may want to take the time to check your facts properly. What is recorded in the Billet in no way reflects any member’s attendance or their contribution.
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Well Jackie, who would of thought we could agree on anything throughout this whole debate!
However on the issue of the wholly irresponsible comments from maindonald I would just like to point out that this is what we come to expect from these people who we pay far to much to mis-represent us. To have a heated rant in anger is a trait that we do not need from people in this position, it seems too much of this goes on.
Now if we had reacted in this way each and every time we were told no during this 2 and a half year issue, more so being told no after each process when exemplified from being in any form of dispute, then the airport would have barely functioned.
I am seriously concerned of her slanderous comments regarding planned sick leave when each individual that has been sick has had to provide a signed gp’s certificate.
That said there is no light duties that can be undertaken on station as all men need to be 100% fit all of the time to undertake the training. Just bad colds and the like can make training with the breathing apparatus virtually impossible but then we would not expect her to appreciate this sat behind her desk.
With all equipment including fire kit and boots adding approximately another 3 stone to our body weight to haul around I am sure you can appreciate it is not to be taken lightly, thus meaning having to pass stringent medicals and fitness assessements yearly. Also how many jobs have to re-certify their qualifications every 4 years on an intensive course in the uk knowing that failing will result in your job loss!
maindonald reminds me of the kid in the supermarket advert throwing a tantrum when not getting her own way, so are we to deal with this on a level that she will understand by doing the very same thing!
Well were not, although I would like her to retract her statement regarding sick leave publicly! This is the very person who sat in front of us and said that we should be extremely grateful that the states paid for our first aid qualifications/weekly training in order that we can use these skills out of work hours.
Personally I have attended to many peoples needs when off duty and am only to happy to be able to assist, the last being a heart attack by the chene. Now roles reversed would she offer to stop and help for instance at a RTA and offer her legal advice? I doubt it very much.
Out of our hours we are duty bound to assist anyone in need just as our other emergency service collegues do and that is in effect to be on call 24/7. Shame some of these deputies do not offer us a service like this, its to much trouble if the hours are not convenient especially evenings and weekends!
I think also barry brehaut should stay firmly out of this. The reason being that he has wholly supported our case or so he would say to a collegue of mine at the station. However it now appears he is using this situation for his own gain in his personel vendetta against Mr Trott. We all know he has issues with him and this should not come in to play.
Anyway 2 deputies that should probably reconsider their positions as well, however should they really waste more time debating all these resignations.
Each of the resignations up here did not get the chance to debate, let alone the chance of even an exit interview which may well have given some insight into the issues much sooner. Did it really need for 30 men to quit before the problem was highlighted.
Anyway I still have not had anyone coming up to find out the true fact or to attempt the recruit process!
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Hi Toby
Can i assure you that Ambulance drivers do not sit around waiting for a job… chance would be a fine thing!!
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Hi ‘Geoff’
I emailed Radio G during the phone-in to give a view on Pauls comments.
But in short.
I will take no part in any review because I am a former member of PSRC.
The Chif Minister has apologised to me in full following the exchange in SCFH.
I supported the two interim payments for the AFS, but not the last 4k for I had left the PSRC by then.
I was critical of the airport management in a recent interview, that is on the record.
I have never supported a 20% increase at any stage, nor can I.
Thanks,
Barry Brehaut.tel 232914 m 07781 426 729
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Hi Neil, any chance your company could do an online survey to show the true level of contempt that the Guernsey public feel towards these people for closing our airport down and causing so much damage and misery in order to gain their 20 per cent pay rise?
They appear to be equating public and business support for the CM’s intervention to end the strike with support for themselves but they are totally deluded on this score.
Anyone who listened to the Sunday phone in on Radio Guernsey will have heard Deputies Tony Spruce and Dave Jones (on opposite sides of the divide on the CM question) say quite clearly that the strikers’ actions were appalling and despicable.
Also, listeners were left in no doubt where the Guernsey business community stands on the firefighters’ wildcat strike. Paul Luxon of the Chamber called in and made it absolutely clear that he too regarded their actions as appalling.
Furthermore, there was agreement from a respected former union official who called in and said he was ashamed, as a trade unionist, of their decision to hold the whole island to ransom.
They shouldn’t need any further evidence but I am confident that if you did ask a question online about what their fellow islanders think of them, they would find out that the vast majority of Guernsey people would sooner wear a red and white scarf and cheer Jersey on at the muratti than lend an iota of support to this shameful lot.
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Oh dear samantha! If only fishing was this easy, no wonder why you react the way you do in your totally unacceptable outbursts in the media. I think its time we joint the psrc in resigning. Oh and all of a sudden double standards are acceptable. PUBLIC apology to the fireman please for your malicious comments. Oh, and get in the BOAT!
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Geoff
Anyway 2 deputies that should probably reconsider their positions as well,
I assume you made that statement only because they are not in support of you at the momment?
If you really think that do you not also think your nights in shinning armour Trott and Flouquet should be doing the same thing ? thought not.
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I am not sure what the Guernsey ambulance drivers do but in the UK they do sit in the ambulance waiting for a call (I have a relative who is a paramedic). They are parked in strateigic areas around their ‘patch’ waiting for a call.
I have been told that the local SJA have other jobs to do keeping the vehicles maintained, painting and fixing the HQ and training etc. They also have other jobs like cliff rescue and sea rescue which UK ambulance services don’t have to do. I hope they are paid for their extra skills but it would not surprise me if they were exploited too.
I have no problem with them being allowed to sleep in at night either – why be sat around in a cold ambulance when they could be sleeping in a bed at the ambulance station and therefore up and in their vehicle within minutes of a call. This is a small island and we should be grateful for the excellent service we get from all our emergency services.
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geoff
I accept some of your points but, you guys do appear to over egg the 24/7 aspect of your duties. You can’t tell me you didn’t know this when you joined. As for closing the airport on the half-term that was just malicious.
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I just got made redundant from the finance industry along with a few other people from my work, I think the strike was disgusting, messing with peoples lives has such a massive knock on effect. I think the firefighters do a ‘potentially’ dangerous job, thats for sure, but surely if they were a man down, someone could come from the other fire station?? or have voluntarily helpers like the police do?? Just a suggestion.
Another point, when you take on a role such as this, do you not realise that the job involves overtime, long hours and time away from families? Guernsey is a lovely island, but come on, its not like we have airport tragedies on a regular basis? is it?
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Airport fireman you can bleat on to your heaerts content to excuse yourselves for your selfish behaviour.But im afraid nobody has any sympathy striking on a bank holiday and half term was the pits ruining so many peoples plans and taking your 4 THOUSAND reward im afraid to say the majority of us do not support you.I hope you enjoy your hard earned 4k.
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Your right guernseygirl, however when there is an air tragedy it is more often than not catastrophic,lets face it we dont expect A380’s to fall out the sky often either.
The Manchester disaster 20 years or so ago resulted in 2 thirds of the crew not going back to work due to what they saw and had to deal with. We are highly trained for this situation although hope we do not have to endure this in our careers and at the same time wether or not we would cope.
I saw the 2 bodies in the cockpit of the F27 at forest road and believe me its something i hope i will not ever have to see. (lucky it wasn’t a passenger plane)
Jackie… The contracts are not worth the paper they are written on and nor do they state we have any duty to be on call at any time nor that we have to provide our own mobile phones for that reason. It is (voluntary)
Believe me the action was not planned nor was it a strike as all efforts were made to ensure all medical cases were catered for and fire cover for many other reasons. However to find out on bank holiday monday when there was a genuine lack of cover that we were going to be put into a dispute for no other reason than the above, was nothing short of bullying by a pay body that is renowned for its confrontational approach.
We had just been ruled out of the 2nd dispute as well, yet one was all of a sudden raised because our station cannot retain staff. How is that our problem? What happened after is regrettable however not many bullies expect their victims to stand up for themselves and this was the final straw after enduring the same treatment for the last 2 and a half years, especially after all the carrots that kept getting dangled in front of us just to use and abuse the goodwill!
Anyway, jackie, please feel free to come up and view the fact for yourself, the invite is open to all the doubters unless that is your worried that you will have to eat humble pie and side with SM and myself. Alternatively SM has a very brief posting that should clarify a few points
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i agree with the poor poll comments from submarine, the client base will only reflect the lobby groups of the various business people on the island who make decisions on profit not on creating a working ,successful society which the states are there for.they are too in each others pockets i think.
also richard digard dosen’t speak for me, try to write an objective paper telling us facts and let us make our minds up.
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You are having a larf mate?
“however not many bullies expect their victims to stand up for themselves ”
The publice were the victims. You bullied yourselves into a huge pay off for doing what you wos supposed to do. The victim, Guernsey Public, stupidly represented by Emporor Nero caved in and paid you off.
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SM and geoff – having read all you comments has indeed enlightened me as to your position – but it in no way justifies your actions.
If I and a group of heavies blocaded your road and refused to let you out unless you paid us £4,000 each you would call in the police and we would be arrested for blackmail. What you did was no different. Firefighting as a proffesion should command and respect – by your actions you have have brought it into disrepute.
And what have we got for our £120,000 ? Merely an undertaking not to deliberately close down the airport for limited period and to engage in more talks – exactly how is this any different to the last agreement you reneged on ? Or did I miss something and you all handed back the February payment when you failed to go to arbitration ?
Nobody comes out of this fiasco well. PSD & PSRC for their woeful mishandling of their employees concerns, the policy council for jumping in and giving in to blackmail, and the firefighters for abusing their position and holding the Island to ransom. Shame on all of you.
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No one should be expected to work on their days off on a regular basis – and for the last 2 years the ff have had to do this (if what they have said is true).
Did they use their power to hold the public to ransom? Yes – but i guess they were at the end of their tether after being promised that something would be negotiated again and again and again.
Hopefully the public enquiry will show us the same picture. I do not think it was fair of them to walk out at such short notice which caused the public untold angst – but it worked didn’t it?
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