Cornishman
Well-Known Member
125 Coastguard officers at Solent, Portland, Brixham and Falmouth are to be balloted over taking industrial (in?)action over a pay deal which should have been settled last August.
Coastguards threaten to strike
- Thread starter Cornishman
- Start date
yindoor2
Well-Known Member
Aready been balloted and 80% voted for industrial action.
They have been offered 2.5% in some cases. This includes a 1% rise with a 1.5% consolidated payment. They get a shift allowance but only on the 1% and lose the allowance on the 1.5%.
The MCA conducted a survey on pay comparisons with the other emergency services and it was revealed that they were the lowest paid of them all and recommended that they should at least be brought up to the same levels.
This was never done and allegedly the results were never published or revealed even to the Coastguard Officers.
They feel aggrieved and I have to agree with them.
They have never really complained or gone on strike before and I think that this time there may well be a reaction to the pay offer.
They have been offered 2.5% in some cases. This includes a 1% rise with a 1.5% consolidated payment. They get a shift allowance but only on the 1% and lose the allowance on the 1.5%.
The MCA conducted a survey on pay comparisons with the other emergency services and it was revealed that they were the lowest paid of them all and recommended that they should at least be brought up to the same levels.
This was never done and allegedly the results were never published or revealed even to the Coastguard Officers.
They feel aggrieved and I have to agree with them.
They have never really complained or gone on strike before and I think that this time there may well be a reaction to the pay offer.
weaver_fish
Well-Known Member
I looked at becoming a coastguard as a change of career a few years ago and was shocked at the terrible pay they receive.... anyone know their current scales?
I don't think most people are aware of their low status.
I don't think most people are aware of their low status.
yindoor2
Well-Known Member
I do know that the lowest Grade Coastguard Watch Assistants (CWA's) are just above the minimum wage.
There are three grades in the Operations Room, CWA being the lowest.
For this they have to have a comprehensive knowledge of area of operations and be fully able to assist in any Search and rescue incident within area of operations, tasking of units and communications with the units often under very stressful situations.
Try communicating with someone who truly believes he is about to die at sea or trapped on a cliff hanging on by the finger nails. It takes a special type of person to keep it all together and still ask the right questions while reassuring someone that help is on the way and to try and keep them calm and feed the relevant information into a computer and to brief the other colleagues accurately.
They work well above their grade and will do a Training Ahead of Needs course to bring them up to Watch Officer Level and will include search Planning. (No more money for the extra responsibility or the hard work achieving the higher grade, it takes a year of study to achieve with a high failure rate, there is a state of the art college down in Highcliffe in Dorset where they go to be taught). All for Wait for it, a starting rate of £11970 plus 25% shift allowance.
It gets better, not by much. Watch Officer gets a little more but has greater responsibilities in Search Planning and Search Area Determination. this involves all the maths that's required to calculate search areas and pass to search units. Keep abreast of all all equipment and programmes, CSOc,AIS,DSC, SOLAS and that's only scratching the surface.
He will be responsible for assisting with the training need of those below him. He may also substitute for the Watch Manager in his absence giving him even more responsibility for the entire area coast that that particular coast Guard station is responsible for. All for a starting rate of 14460 plus 25% Shift allowance.
The other grade is that of Watch Manager and has responsibility for the welfare of all staff below them during that period of watch. They have total responsibility for their delegated area of coastline and all that happens within that area.
Some areas like Clyde for instance runs from Luce bay to well past Oban.
They will also take responsibility for flank station in the event of a breakdown or structured changeover. Its so smooth that you would never notice on the coast. Except the accents may very well be different. Northern Ireland and the West Coast for instance.
The Watch Manager has full responsibility for the coast and all that goes on within the Operations Room, has the title of Senior Maritime Controller during SAR operations. They also look after the well-being and welfare of all those working to them. They will make all the decisions during any SAR operation, within the team environment.
Any decisions rest on that person The Watch Manager is the linchpin and answerable in court for his actions. He/she has a lot more on their plate, liaison with other organisations, Annual reviews and reports. ETC ETC. You have all of this starting at £19378 plus 25% allowances. Try buying a house on the south coast on that.
There is a lot more that I could go into but this may just give you a flavour for those who work to very exacting standards 24/7 to make sure that your day, if all goes wrong can be rectified as soon as possible by very dedicated people who do it more for the love of the job, but also need to maintain a decent standard of living.
Please support their claim for a better pay rise. They have been quiet for a long time and lived at a lower level that a lot of people might have imagined.
Now where's that glass of wine
Regards Ian
There are three grades in the Operations Room, CWA being the lowest.
For this they have to have a comprehensive knowledge of area of operations and be fully able to assist in any Search and rescue incident within area of operations, tasking of units and communications with the units often under very stressful situations.
Try communicating with someone who truly believes he is about to die at sea or trapped on a cliff hanging on by the finger nails. It takes a special type of person to keep it all together and still ask the right questions while reassuring someone that help is on the way and to try and keep them calm and feed the relevant information into a computer and to brief the other colleagues accurately.
They work well above their grade and will do a Training Ahead of Needs course to bring them up to Watch Officer Level and will include search Planning. (No more money for the extra responsibility or the hard work achieving the higher grade, it takes a year of study to achieve with a high failure rate, there is a state of the art college down in Highcliffe in Dorset where they go to be taught). All for Wait for it, a starting rate of £11970 plus 25% shift allowance.
It gets better, not by much. Watch Officer gets a little more but has greater responsibilities in Search Planning and Search Area Determination. this involves all the maths that's required to calculate search areas and pass to search units. Keep abreast of all all equipment and programmes, CSOc,AIS,DSC, SOLAS and that's only scratching the surface.
He will be responsible for assisting with the training need of those below him. He may also substitute for the Watch Manager in his absence giving him even more responsibility for the entire area coast that that particular coast Guard station is responsible for. All for a starting rate of 14460 plus 25% Shift allowance.
The other grade is that of Watch Manager and has responsibility for the welfare of all staff below them during that period of watch. They have total responsibility for their delegated area of coastline and all that happens within that area.
Some areas like Clyde for instance runs from Luce bay to well past Oban.
They will also take responsibility for flank station in the event of a breakdown or structured changeover. Its so smooth that you would never notice on the coast. Except the accents may very well be different. Northern Ireland and the West Coast for instance.
The Watch Manager has full responsibility for the coast and all that goes on within the Operations Room, has the title of Senior Maritime Controller during SAR operations. They also look after the well-being and welfare of all those working to them. They will make all the decisions during any SAR operation, within the team environment.
Any decisions rest on that person The Watch Manager is the linchpin and answerable in court for his actions. He/she has a lot more on their plate, liaison with other organisations, Annual reviews and reports. ETC ETC. You have all of this starting at £19378 plus 25% allowances. Try buying a house on the south coast on that.
There is a lot more that I could go into but this may just give you a flavour for those who work to very exacting standards 24/7 to make sure that your day, if all goes wrong can be rectified as soon as possible by very dedicated people who do it more for the love of the job, but also need to maintain a decent standard of living.
Please support their claim for a better pay rise. They have been quiet for a long time and lived at a lower level that a lot of people might have imagined.
Now where's that glass of wine
Regards Ian
Sixpence
Well-Known Member
It's alright saying ' please support them ' but how exactly is that possible , it's not like we can blockade their buildings or anything like that , so what are we supposed to do
yindoor2
Well-Known Member
Don't complain too much if they work to rule, they will always answer your emergency call but might not pass the weather or deal with routine calls and admin.
Sixpence
Well-Known Member
Easy for me to support them then
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Maybe they should charge per radio check.
They'd make a bloody fortune.
They'd make a bloody fortune.
yindoor2
Well-Known Member
No the government would make a fortune (Just another tax)
Birdseye
Well-Known Member
So the guys who sit in the warm control room strike for more pay whilst the crews who really do the stressful and dangerous work (the RNLI and others) dont get paid at all.
Sure the coastguard should get enough money to avoid recruitment problems and to get the quality of staff necessary, but no way can the job equate with those in the front linel emergency services, like dibble for example.
Sure the coastguard should get enough money to avoid recruitment problems and to get the quality of staff necessary, but no way can the job equate with those in the front linel emergency services, like dibble for example.
graham
Well-Known Member
The full time paid Coxswains and mechanics do in fact get paid quite well,as they should.(certainly much better than a CG watch officer.)
You cannot compare a CG watch officer working full time in order to make a living with a volunteer part time lifeboat crew dedicated they may be but for them its a hobby not a career.
Could you bring up a family or buy a house on the wages quoted?
You cannot compare a CG watch officer working full time in order to make a living with a volunteer part time lifeboat crew dedicated they may be but for them its a hobby not a career.
Could you bring up a family or buy a house on the wages quoted?
landaftaf
Well-Known Member
I stand to be corrected, but I thought the majority of coastguard shore staff, at junior positions anyway, were retired service personnel, (mainly r.n.) or ex m.n. - this was because recruits were required to have a practical knowledge of the sea and things maritime. (this is apparently not now the case)
so - as they were on a pension the pay scale was adjusted to take this into account.
however, with the change in the maritime experience requirements recent recruits were increasingly 'landlubbers' taught to answer the phone and radio, and basic chartwork.
with todays new employees - without their pension to fall back, on it is understandable they are comparatively underpaid ............ though are paid in accordance with the literature they read before joining.
however - I agree, hmg have been getting a first rate service from the coastguards for years without paying the proper rate. things are catching up on them /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
IMO of course
so - as they were on a pension the pay scale was adjusted to take this into account.
however, with the change in the maritime experience requirements recent recruits were increasingly 'landlubbers' taught to answer the phone and radio, and basic chartwork.
with todays new employees - without their pension to fall back, on it is understandable they are comparatively underpaid ............ though are paid in accordance with the literature they read before joining.
however - I agree, hmg have been getting a first rate service from the coastguards for years without paying the proper rate. things are catching up on them /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
IMO of course
weaver_fish
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
So the guys who sit in the warm control room strike for more pay whilst the crews who really do the stressful and dangerous work (the RNLI and others) dont get paid at all.
[/ QUOTE ]
You could use the same argument with the RNLI mate - people in warm offices get paid, volunteer crew don't. I think you'll find its a difference between a career type job thing and erm, sorry for stating the obvious, being a volunteer.
So the guys who sit in the warm control room strike for more pay whilst the crews who really do the stressful and dangerous work (the RNLI and others) dont get paid at all.
[/ QUOTE ]
You could use the same argument with the RNLI mate - people in warm offices get paid, volunteer crew don't. I think you'll find its a difference between a career type job thing and erm, sorry for stating the obvious, being a volunteer.
l'escargot
Well-Known Member
Where are all the regulars who slag off cosy civil servants demanding above inflation pay rises to protect their gold plated pensions? Seem unusually quiet on this thread.
Does this perhaps show a truer picture of a significant chunk of the civil service?
I know it has always been prevalent, but why should an employer get away with paying below market rate just because someone working for them has income (a pension) from another source?
Does this perhaps show a truer picture of a significant chunk of the civil service?
I know it has always been prevalent, but why should an employer get away with paying below market rate just because someone working for them has income (a pension) from another source?
yindoor2
Well-Known Member
No one mentioned strike. there's always one
yindoor2
Well-Known Member
So the guys who sit in the warm control room strike for more pay whilst the crews who really do the stressful and dangerous work (the RNLI and others) dont get paid at all.
Sure the coastguard should get enough money to avoid recruitment problems and to get the quality of staff necessary, but no way can the job equate with those in the front linel emergency services, like dibble for example.
Hi Birdseye
You should check your facts before posting. The volunteers you mention that do it for nothing is not quite correct. The Lifeboat crews excluding the full timers, get paid for every call that they turn out for and it's more than the minimum wage. They also get paid for passages and some have the additional retainer.
I have 16 years of service on offshore lifeboats in my time so I know what I'm talking about. The Lifeboat crews do a fantastic job and have my full support in all that they do.
This has nothing to do with the Coastguard pay dispute, you should pay a visit to your local Goastguard station and then you might find that they are in every sense at the front line, co-coordinating search and rescue, tasking and controlling SAR units is no easy task, when someone is screaming down the telephine or over the radio. You should try it sometime and see just how difficult it actually is.
Before your next post try to get your facts correct.
Regards as usual Ian
Sure the coastguard should get enough money to avoid recruitment problems and to get the quality of staff necessary, but no way can the job equate with those in the front linel emergency services, like dibble for example.
Hi Birdseye
You should check your facts before posting. The volunteers you mention that do it for nothing is not quite correct. The Lifeboat crews excluding the full timers, get paid for every call that they turn out for and it's more than the minimum wage. They also get paid for passages and some have the additional retainer.
I have 16 years of service on offshore lifeboats in my time so I know what I'm talking about. The Lifeboat crews do a fantastic job and have my full support in all that they do.
This has nothing to do with the Coastguard pay dispute, you should pay a visit to your local Goastguard station and then you might find that they are in every sense at the front line, co-coordinating search and rescue, tasking and controlling SAR units is no easy task, when someone is screaming down the telephine or over the radio. You should try it sometime and see just how difficult it actually is.
Before your next post try to get your facts correct.
Regards as usual Ian
l'escargot
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
No one mentioned strike. there's always one
[/ QUOTE ]
Paul Smith did:
"The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which represents 670 of the MCA's 1,165 workforce, said 80 per cent of its members rejected a 2006 pay offer, which averages just 2.5 per cent for many and penalises the most experienced staff with pay increases of less than 1 per cent.
Paul Smith, PCS negotiations officer for the MCA, said strike action including pulling 999 cover would be a "last resort".
He said there would be no one to replace his highly trained and skilled members and admitted lives could be put at risk.
"It demonstrates the value of the job they do," Mr Smith said."
No one mentioned strike. there's always one
[/ QUOTE ]
Paul Smith did:
"The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which represents 670 of the MCA's 1,165 workforce, said 80 per cent of its members rejected a 2006 pay offer, which averages just 2.5 per cent for many and penalises the most experienced staff with pay increases of less than 1 per cent.
Paul Smith, PCS negotiations officer for the MCA, said strike action including pulling 999 cover would be a "last resort".
He said there would be no one to replace his highly trained and skilled members and admitted lives could be put at risk.
"It demonstrates the value of the job they do," Mr Smith said."
yindoor2
Well-Known Member
Then please accept my sincere apologies
regards ian
regards ian