RNLI pay

[islandsailor]

It's a private organization. It's swimming in cash. They can pay themselves whatever they want. Nothing to do with anyone else.

IMHO that they should pay there CEO and Senior Managers the market rate,

With the greatest respect Toad I do however feel that I have to politely correct your statement that the RNLI is a private organisation it is a registered charity, and the Trustees are obligated by Law to use any funds for public benefit in accordance with its Charter / Constitution.

 

[dylanwinter]

it does matter

It's a private organization. It's swimming in cash. They can pay themselves whatever they want. Nothing to do with anyone else.

I think it does matter

because they expect people to give them money

I must have given them hundreds of pounds over the years

and the village collection box comes round at least twice a year

so it does matter - because at the moment people who put money into collection boxes shaped like lifeboats think that the cash goes towards the costs of running and replacing boats and wet weather gear for the brave blokes who man the boats

If the public starts to beleive that large chunks of it goes into the pockets of spread sheet jockies and marketing wonks who over-use the phrase "going forward" then they will soon find that they will no longer be swimming in cash.

But I might be wrong - yet again

D

 

[sailorman]

IMHO that they should pay there CEO and Senior Managers the market rate,

With the greatest respect Toad I do however feel that I have to politely correct your statement that the RNLI is a private organisation it is a registered charity, and the Trustees are obligated by Law to use any funds for public benefit in accordance with its Charter / Constitution.

And spend ( waste ) it so as not to accumulate an extra large fund pot

 

[islandsailor]

And spend ( waste ) it so as not to accumulate an extra large fund pot

The Board of Trustees are responsible for setting a reserves policy which you can read on the Charity Commision website http://www.charity-commission.gov.u...steredCharityNumber=209603&SubsidiaryNumber=0 (as well as view the last 5 years of accounts and financial info, who the Trustees are and lots of other info including that published by the Times),

Given how hard the RNLI work at Fundraising I am sure it would be relatively simple to slow down the revenue rather than waste money IF the Trustees felt that the reserves were getting too high

 

[Pye_End]

I think it does matter

I agree. It's not just there are one or two on good money, but 28 of them. Can quite see it putting some people off giving.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

Given how hard the RNLI work at Fundraising I am sure it would be relatively simple to slow down the revenue rather than waste money IF the Trustees felt that the reserves were getting too high

Surely the decision to build bespoke boats rather than buying off the shelf wastes cash. A load of Diesel must get burned behaving as a free sea-start service (what percentage of shouts are for engine breakdowns?) Rescuing dogs can't be cheap.

Don't get me wrong, the RNLI are awesome, but, charity or not, I'm pretty sure what they do with their money is absolutely nothing to do with us.

If we *do* have a say in what they spend I want to take a Severn out in a big Gale with a full tank of gas.

 

[islandsailor]

Surely the decision to build bespoke boats rather than buying off the shelf wastes cash. A load of Diesel must get burned behaving as a free sea-start service (what percentage of shouts are for engine breakdowns?) Rescuing dogs can't be cheap.

Don't get me wrong, the RNLI are awesome, but, charity or not, I'm pretty sure what they do with their money is absolutely nothing to do with us.

If we *do* have a say in what they spend I want to take a Severn out in a big Gale with a full tank of gas.

It's not so much that we have a say (or get to take a Severn out - but if Jim fixes it can I come please), but that the Trustees have a legal responsibility to run the organisation for public benefit and be open, it's not like a Business in that it is not owned by anyone and the aim is not to make a profit but to deliver to your Charitable objectives.

 

[Greenwichman]

Monkeys and peanuts?

A letter in today's Times reveals that there are 28 members of the RNLI's staff paid between £60k and £80k and 12 between £80k and £140k. Why?

The RNLI is a huge and efficient business. They have to raise £300k PER DAY to break even. Their stores and engineering support organisation and their design, build and repair facilities are international pace-setters.

Folk with the talent to run stuff on that scale come with a price tag. It's a fine charity, the whole operation is admirable, they take no government money and the CEO is accountable to a competent governance board chaired by one of the nation's seriously successful leaders.

The salaries don't seem 'fat cat' to me; if only we could get banks (or politics) to be as well run on such modest rewards, eh?

As a Governor of the RNLI I get nothing except the promise of brave people to rescue me if I get into trouble at sea; so far as I am concerned the top team in the RNLI earn every penny (and if they were to slack, there is a decent system in place to bowl them out).

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

(or get to take a Severn out - but if Jim fixes it can I come please)

Ok, but I'm steering.

 

[mikefleetwood]

Surely the decision to build bespoke boats rather than buying off the shelf wastes cash.

Yep, I'm sure there are many boats available off the shelf - 40-50', capable of 25kn+, self-righting and safe(ish) in almost any sea conditions, carrying crew and 20+ "passengers" in the dry (no need for berths), and, of course, ready to go within minutes - all for under £500k.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Why are £20,000 and "paying peanuts" the only alternatives to paying 40 people £60k plus? It's facile to suggest that the only alternative to a large number of very highly paid executives is a bunch of teenagers on £20k. There is a clear process of wage inflation whereby every voluntary organisation says "we have to pay top whack because everyone else is and we want to employ the best".

 

[maxi77]

The RNLI is a huge and efficient business. They have to raise £300k PER DAY to break even. Their stores and engineering support organisation and their design, build and repair facilities are international pace-setters.

Folk with the talent to run stuff on that scale come with a price tag. It's a fine charity, the whole operation is admirable, they take no government money and the CEO is accountable to a competent governance board chaired by one of the nation's seriously successful leaders.

The salaries don't seem 'fat cat' to me; if only we could get banks (or politics) to be as well run on such modest rewards, eh?

As a Governor of the RNLI I get nothing except the promise of brave people to rescue me if I get into trouble at sea; so far as I am concerned the top team in the RNLI earn every penny (and if they were to slack, there is a decent system in place to bowl them out).

Not only that but I suspect that if any of the RNLI 'fat cats' sold themselves on the open market they could command much higher salaries. Thus they are also making substantial sacrifices in their lifestyle to help us seafarers.

Threads like this just go to show how mean, nasty and nasty our society has become.

What ever the journeyman is worth his hire. At the end of the day good management is essential for the RNLI to work.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

They could possibly source boats cheaper - nobody's perfect, not even me. But ask yourself how much a Severn class would cost if MOD Procurement were buying? And even then the price you got told would only be a fraction of the total cost of procuring.

Given the size of funds the RNLI has to manage and the fact that they seem to be coping I would guess that a far bigger cost would be the advice of people who, rightly or wrongly, command salaries that would allow them to buy their own Severn class - I don't think we're talking about 140K pa here.


You could argue right or wrong for the six-figure earners at the RNLI but they certainly aren't on a gravy train. 140K is the sort of money a good surgeon or GP in private practice gets (though obviously there's a few on much higher). It's the sort of money offshore workers on rigs, IT specialists, etc. get. Sadly even management consultants from the likes of McKinsey and Accenture get that sort of money these days.

 

[Marmalade]

A letter in today's Times reveals that there are 28 members of the RNLI's staff paid between £60k and £80k and 12 between £80k and £140k. Why?

Presumably because the RNLI can't afford to pay 'em more. Worth every penny. The lot of 'em.

I don't understand the mentality that says that public service should be staffed by mediocre people because the really good people earn better money elsewhere. I'd rather pay better money for better services.

I include the RNLI as the voluntary / charity sector mirrors the public sector in many ways.

 

[prv]

If we *do* have a say in what they spend I want to take a Severn out in a big Gale with a full tank of gas.

get to take a Severn out - but if Jim fixes it can I come please

Ok, but I'm steering.

Not a Severn, or a gale, but I am lucky enough to have been out for a blast on a Trent-class, including getting to throw in some tight turns on the wheel up top.

An awesome machine.

Pete

 

[Bajansailor]

I have been out on the prototype Severn (FAB 3) in a howling gale doing 25 knots into the teeth of it almost 20 years ago, and it was pretty amazing - I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be on a FairPrinSun with patio doors and worrysome stability curve in those conditions!

The RNLI is fortunate to have oodles of dosh at their disposal - perhaps partially due to the successful marketing and PR abilities of those folk with the 6 figure salaries...... and because they have all this income, they can legitimately say that only a very small percentage is actually spent on administration (including head honchos salaries) - they probably have one of the smallest admin costs (relatively) of any of the top 5 charities.

And very often it is not just the cost of a new boat, but also the cost of a new boathouse and carriage or slipway to suit the new boat, and these all add up enormously.

I have been told by pals still working there that the process of tendering for building the boats was made more competitive in recent years - 20+ years ago I sort of got the impression that it was a bit like an old boys club as to who built the boats but the six figure guys (with MBAs?) seem to have turned all this around.
Although this might also have been due to relatively few yards then (compared to now) having the capability to build highly specialised semi-one-off boats?

Just had a thought - I wonder what a Sunseeker Trent or Tamar would be like?

It would probably be cheaper to outsource the building of new lifeboats to China or Vietnam - but imagine the outcry!
Same as if Govt decided to outsource building new Royal Navy ships in the Far East.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

Yep, I'm sure there are many boats available off the shelf - 40-50', capable of 25kn+, self-righting and safe(ish) in almost any sea conditions, carrying crew and 20+ "passengers" in the dry (no need for berths), and, of course, ready to go within minutes - all for under £500k.

What do you think foreign sea rescue services use?

 

[charles_reed]

Hey, Dylan, you forgot the footy ballers & popstars & film actors. Not to mention advertising execs fashion designers & legal eagles, etcetera, etcetera.

Were would we be without all these wonderful people?

Do you remember the space ship full of middle managers & hairdressers etc sent to colonise the new Earth & prepare for the rest of us "arriving later" in the Hitch-Hiker's guide? I always thought that was a great idea spoilt by being too narrow in its choice of personnel.

Middle managers, a euphemism for the technicians mostly now replaced by computerisation.

Don't think the salary scales are particularly higher than other charities, and charities pay at about 60% of comparable commercial organisations.

Economist article about commercial organisations learning from charities - certainly my experience of the larger charities is that morale, man-management and the "vision" skills are far higher than in many commercial organisations.

The question should perhaps be posited "Why do RNLI top managers get paid so little..."?

PS I think they were telephone hygienists - scarcely even middle managers

 

[capnsensible]

What do you think foreign sea rescue services use?

More to the point, what do you think foreign rescue services use? Have you ever actually been anywhere?

Spain certainly uses bespoke recue vessels. That means designed just for them. Fast rescue boats and large salvage tugs. 'Salvamente'.

Check it out.

 

[DavenHelen]

Do you remember the space ship full of middle managers & hairdressers etc sent to colonise the new Earth & prepare for the rest of us "arriving later" in the Hitch-Hiker's guide? I always thought that was a great idea spoilt by being too narrow in its choice of personnel.

Just be careful next time you answer the phone....