Both sides in retained firefighters dispute accuse the other of compromising safety

Management in the retained firefighters dispute has rejected a claim by the union involved that it has put lives at risk by refusing to properly engage in relation to emergency cover provisions.

On Friday, Siptu said there have been “chaotic scenes” at some of the roughly 200 stations around the country affected by the strike action which recommenced this week following a failed intervention by the Labour Court.

The court had proposed substantial percentage increases to the annual retainer and improved staffing levels intended to allow for more time off but the union rejected the terms, arguing that the base pay figure was so low the increases fell short of what was required and that the 400 new recruits envisaged would only get the service back to slightly above what it is supposed to have in the first place. Its members voted by a margin of more than four to one against the proposed deal.

In relation to arrangements for emergency cover, the union’s Divisional Organiser, Karan O Loughlin, said there appeared to be “a general strategy of non-cooperation on the management side. Phone calls are not being answered when firefighters call the station from the scenes of incidents, and management is not deploying the required number of appliances to incidents.”

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Representatives of the 2,000 or so firefighters involved in the dispute “have been engaged in hours of talks with management locally to ensure there is a reliable system of emergency cover, but they just can’t get co-operation from the management side. This is putting lives at risk.”

“Our members are coming off picket lines to manage life-threatening incidents and being pressurised to take responsibilities above and beyond the call of duty because management refuses to take responsibility. This cannot continue, and it will result in a backlash from firefighters who will not be able to continue to provide the same level of universal cover without the involvement of management grades,” she said.

However, the Local Government Management Association (LGMA) said its “absolute priority is the safety of the public and of firefighters”.

“Management has engaged extensively with Siptu at national and local level in relation to emergency cover plans during the industrial action.”

But, it said, “the complete closure of 50 per cent of fire stations (on a rotational basis) creates unacceptable and unnecessary risks for attendance and cover at incidents throughout the country”.

It said the union was telling its members to use mobile phones rather than existing, more secure and, in remote areas, more reliable, radio equipment during the dispute and “instructing that the minimum attendance of appliances at incidents – however minor – be increased to three appliances from three stations. This will inevitably diminish the level of cover available for other incidents with potentially serious consequences.

“Management continues to engage at national and local level with Siptu to ensure the risk to the public and to firefighters is minimised to the greatest extent possible (and) to ensure adherence to joint responsibilities under the Code of Practice on Dispute Procedures in relation to emergency services.”

It said the LGMA was committed to addressing the issues behind the dispute and believes “a resolution is possible through acceptance of the current Labour Court offer and engagement with the forthcoming national pay talks”.