Brigade Working Conditions

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30630, 22 December 1964, Page 18

Brigade Working Conditions

The working conditions of firemen were set out by Mr W. G. Bugden, president of the New Zealand Urban Fire Authorities’ Industrial Union of Employers, in a statement yesterday in which he said many firemen were not happy with the decision of their union’s ballot to strike. Many men felt that not only should the agreement entered into in 1961 be honoured but that strike action on a matter before the Court of Arbitration cut deeply into the foundations of conciliation and arbitration, he said. The firemen had agreed in 1961 that no application would be made about hours of duty for 10 years if the employers agreed to the day on-day off duty system. The employers agreed and the firemen’s union had given an undertaking.

“When the conciliation council was set up to deal with new awards this year, the federation repudiated the undertaking and filed as counter proposals for a 35hour week,” Mr Bugden said. “The employers’ assessors tn conciliation opposed any change in duty hours, con-

tending it was a blatant breach of the agreement. However, they did agree to those matters which were unsettled in conciliation being sent to the Court of Arbitration for settlement.

“Immediately after having agreed in conciliation to refer unsettled matters to the Court of Arbitration, the federation decided to hold a strike ballot among members, and a majority supported strike action.”

Mr Bugden said that of the 34 hours a week during which a permanent fireman was required to be on call only 193 hours a week were actual working hours. Outside these hours, he was required to attend fire calls or deal with other emergencies.

“In the busiest of fire stations these additional hours would amount to not more than an average of one hour and a half a week. The remainder of the time is his own for recreation. “He receives six weeks’ leave a year and these conditions leave him with 204 days a year during which he is free of all duty and in which time many engage in secondary employment. “A fireman after two years’ service would average a gross wage of about £2l a week which can be supplemented by other allowances provided for in the award. An officer’s pay would be considerably more.

“Married firemen occupying brigade flats or houses are charged £2 6s lOd a week rental.

“There are ample facilities provided for recreation and entertainment outside the normal hours of routine work. A superannuation scheme is available as well as a gratuity scheme on retirement.”