Auxiliary firemen want wages

The men claimed monies allocated for the auxiliaries in National Budget 2016/2017 were spent on equipment for the full time Fire Service, particularly vehicles such as fire-trucks, utility vehicles and buses.

Worse, even as the hourly-paid auxiliaries remain unpaid since July, much of the Auxiliary Fire Service’s allocation has been sent back to the Treasury unused.

The officers bemoaned their shoddy treatment, relative to the auxiliary/reserve arms of the nation’s other protective services - Defence Force, Special Reserve Police and Prison Reserve.

The men said the Auxiliary Fire Service Act 1979 says they have the “same powers, authority, privileges and immunities” plus the same duties and responsibilities of a full-time member of the Fire Service, but in practice this has not been so.

They complained they are paid late, not supplied with proper gear such as personal protective equipment, and indeed are often not called out at all to serve.

The men questioned the suitability for office of the leadership of the Auxiliary Fire Service whom they complained are not advocating on behalf of the lower ranks. The men said the promulgation of the Regulations that accompany the Auxiliary Fire Service Act will help to promote a greater transparency in the appointment of top-brass and so remedy an allegation situation of square pegs in round holes.

They hoped Minister of National Security, Edmund Dillon, would take up the baton from his predecessor, the late Martin Joseph, (who had drafted the Regulations eight years ago), and help to get the Regulations into effect.

Newsday was unable to contact Minister of National Security, Edmund Dillon, nor Joint Select Committee on National Security chairman, Fitzgerald Hinds.

The Budget document, Draft Estimates of Recurrent Expenditure, on page 124 shows that in fiscal 2016 some $41 million was intended for the Auxiliary Fire Unit, but ultimately just $29 million was spent.

Some $17 million was spent in fiscal 2015, while this fiscal year the planned estimate is $38 million.

Fire Service Association general secretary, Ashton Cunningham has empathised with the auxiliaries’ plight. “They are always disadvantaged with regard to uniform, equipment and getting their salaries on time,” he told Newsday.

“These are long-stand problems which we’d have thought would have been resolved a long time ago. I’ll do what’s in my power to assist.” Cunningham agreed that the Regulations are needed to ensure the smooth daily management of the Auxiliary Fire Service, by setting down terms and conditions.

He said his Association met Minister Dillon and the Acting Chief Fire Officer in July to discuss matters such as the Auxiliary Regulations, but lamented that the Association’s request for a follow-up meeting - made on November 30 - has not yet got a response from Dillon.