RNLI pay

[jpcarter30]

You need a certain number of paid staff to head any charity organisation. I'm just not sure 120K for a navy johnny is good value as he won't work a full week to earn that.
As a member I'd like confirmation of this as I don't want a large sum like that going to one person, if it is true.

 

[Grumpybear]

Indeed not. And his naval retired pay will be several times that figure before he bothers to get out of bed

 

[Ubergeekian]

Indeed not. And his naval retired pay will be several times that figure before he bothers to get out of bed

Ah, these unfunded, gold-plated public-sector pensions, eh?

 

[lw395]

Perhaps if £120k is a fair salary for a retirement job, those of us earning much less than that shouldn't feel obliged to contribute, as our salaries are below par?

 

[Ubergeekian]

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?

Because many, many big charities are to all intents and purposes commercial organisations like any other, paying their largely interchangeable senior management huge salaries in the knowledge that they can get away with it, and evading scrutiny witha smokescreen of self-righteousness.

I wonder who earns these salaries at the RNLI - Coxswains? Naval architects? Maintenance engineers? Bet you it isn't them.

This sort of news puts me in a quandary. On the one hand, the RNLI have spectacularly brave people doing spectacularly good work on the ground, as it were. On the other hand, this wasteful spending on management goes hand in hand with a gung-ho "Yeah, we like going for a blast in a RIB" attitude regularly seen here by posters claiming to be RNLI crew plus the knowledge that a lot of funding seems (seems) to go on towing back to base fools who didn't check their diesel levels and can't be bothered beating to windward.

To donate or not? Hmm. I can't really see any alternative, but what a shame one can't have donations earmarked for useful stuff or particular lifeboat stations.

Incidentally, am I right in thinking that to become a "Governor" one simply has to donate a certain amount of money, and that it doesn't bring any role in actual governance?

 

[Bajansailor]

I wouldnt say that a 'lot' of funding goes on towing people back home because they have run out of fuel - the funding mainly goes on purchasing the lifeboat (and carriage, trolley, slipway, boathouse, etc).
The cost of the petrol or diesel consumed in actually towing somebody in is probably relatively small in comparison.
And if one considers that every 'shout' to a boat that has run out of fuel could (for glass half full people) be regarded as a useful training exercise for the crew (some of them might be new volunteers) then it becomes even less significant.

Re the suggestion earlier that the RNLI could help out folk like the GAFIRS - in the same way that RNLI have always resisted any Government financial involvement in their activities, I think that one would find that the GAFIRS would be equally wary of the RNLI butting in to their affairs, as they wouldnt want the RNLI to be telling them what to do.
Especially as they do a pretty damn good job how they are - they are just a bit short of dosh..... (hint, hint! )
And if they get called to a shout by the Coastguard, along with the RNLI, I am sure that they all work happily together then on their common objective.

 

[Searush]

(snip)
Incidentally, am I right in thinking that to become a "Governor" one simply has to donate a certain amount of money, and that it doesn't bring any role in actual governance?

Yes, a certain amount each year or a much larger one-off payment for "Life-governor".

 

[Doghousekeeper]

To donate or not? Hmm. I can't really see any alternative, but what a shame one can't have donations earmarked for useful stuff or particular lifeboat stations.

You can. Just specify when you make your donation and it will be allocated to a station of your choosing. If you don't specify, it will go into general funds

 

[grumpy_o_g]

On the other hand, this wasteful spending on management goes hand in hand with a gung-ho "Yeah, we like going for a blast in a RIB" attitude regularly seen here by posters claiming to be RNLI crew plus the knowledge that a lot of funding seems (seems) to go on towing back to base fools who didn't check their diesel levels and can't be bothered beating to windward.

Why are you assuming that the management is wasteful? In an organisation with lots of boys (including the girls) and lots of boy's toys, I would want strong management to keep things under control. Management is more likely to stop gung-ho blasts in a RIB than encourage it, surely. They will be controlling spending, not encouraging it.

I do know what you mean about the RNLI picking up the tab for carelessness/laziness but it has to be seen to be available at all times for all people, as much for funding and political reasons as for ethical reasons.

 

[Greenwichman]

Politics of envy ....

Blimey, what a lot of tosh from the jealous .... I think we have got worse at the game of "the grass is greener." Whatever happened to British reserve and stiff upper lip?

Fact is, the new CEO applied for the job, competed against a strong field and won. Would he have bothered if the salary had been half the sum?

Why didn't other forumites give him a run for his money; and - assuming they won - offer to do the job for less?

Generalising, those who receive salaries at the Prime Minister's level (£145k) and below are more likely to be worth it than not. And those who carp about it probably couldn't do the job anyway....

;-)

 

[cimo]

it's beyond me how any individual could be deemed "worth" 3 times+ the national average wage. as woody allen says - 80% of sucess is just turning up! - or something like that.

heres a radical idea - why not reduce the top salaries by 50% and divide the savings among the volunteer crews and bucket collectors. it wouldn't be alot per head - but theres not doubt they would be worth it - and then some! it's not a new idea - just one thats never been implemented as far as i know.

 

[mikefleetwood]

We'll have to disagree then.

If you're interested you might consider reading the thread I posted above.

Happy to disagree if you like

I have read the thread you posted - apart from the same statement that there was an off the shelf design, cheaper and faster with a link to a site I couldn't understand (nor could I find the boat referred to) - it didn't add much. Just a long argument on a few technical issues and the (possible) conclusion that the RNLI needed fast ribs for inshore work and sturdy all weather boats for more exposed areas - which is what I thought it already had. There was quite strong opinion that different sea areas needed different types of boats.

So, if I read it right - there is available a boat that is 10kn faster than the Severn (that is being replaced by a faster design anyway), lighter build so not suitable for ocean storm conditions (which DO happen in RNLI operating areas), which is a little cheaper.

Glad it's not my decision

 

[mihtjel]

why not reduce the top salaries by 50% and divide the savings among the volunteer crews and bucket collectors.

Because management - and presumably some highly skilled technical personnel in the £60-80k bracket - would bugger off and find another job instead. ;-)

Having people take responsibility costs money, and looking at the salaries you quote from a Danish perspective at least, it doesn't really seem like the RNLI is paying too much.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

Just a long argument on a few technical issues

I did say *if* you were interested.

 

[john_morris_uk]

You need a certain number of paid staff to head any charity organisation. I'm just not sure 120K for a navy johnny is good value as he won't work a full week to earn that.
As a member I'd like confirmation of this as I don't want a large sum like that going to one person, if it is true.

Not sure where you are coming from. The person I was referring to earlier retired from the Navy a couple of years ago. He works full time for the RNLI now as Chief Exec. http://www.rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/rnli_people/key_rnli_staff

Regarding his pension - I am sure that you can calculate it if you try - you can find out his final salary with some research and look up how many years service he did and do the sums, but I can confidently say that its nowhere near what he gets as CEO RNLI.

I am a member (and volunteer Sea Safety Advisor) for the RNLI and I fee I should should add that I don't begrudge him his salary at the RNLI one jot. The RNLI is a huge organisation with assets and a turnover running to many millions. You need competent people to run it and such people need to be paid appropriately. I understand where some people are coming from when they complain about salary levels for such a large organisation, but I don't believe that the complaints are justified.

 

[cimo]

Because management - and presumably some highly skilled technical personnel in the £60-80k bracket - would bugger off and find another job instead. ;-).

thats the common preception & being a technical person myself I'd tend to agree - "you don't p*ss technical people off - they just leave", as an old mentor used to say. But the volunteer crew members are highly skilled also are they not, so it appears there are exceptions to this rule.


[/QUOTE]
Having people take responsibility costs money, and looking at the salaries you quote from a Danish perspective at least, it doesn't really seem like the RNLI is paying too much.[/QUOTE]

My sense of fair play won't let me agree - limit the rewards to the "responsible people" at twice the average national wage - thats double what the "non-responsible people" get on average. but it'll never happen.

 

[EugeneR]

If you pay peanuts, you get a monkey!

Agreed. And if only we could stop paying peanuts to our politicians, maybe we might get some better ones.

£140k for a CEO of that sized organisation does not sound high to me. It's the value they add that counts.

 

[lw395]

Agreed. And if only we could stop paying peanuts to our politicians, maybe we might get some better ones.

£140k for a CEO of that sized organisation does not sound high to me. It's the value they add that counts.

Given that there are only about 1.3 million higher rate taxpayers, I can see it looking a lot to the majority of their contributors.

It's a straight forward admin job, the RNLI is not like a private company, there aren't many difficult policy decisions to make, I'm not sure that the CEO adds much value in the way that a company CEO does? It's another monopoly quango really.

I think I might move my donations to GAFIRS.

 

[Ubergeekian]

You can. Just specify when you make your donation and it will be allocated to a station of your choosing. If you don't specify, it will go into general funds

Thank you for the correction!

 

[Ubergeekian]

Why are you assuming that the management is wasteful?

Because of the figures cited to start this thread.

I do know what you mean about the RNLI picking up the tab for carelessness/laziness but it has to be seen to be available at all times for all people, as much for funding and political reasons as for ethical reasons.

Yeah, I know. I don't suppose there's the business to support it round the whole coast, but perhaps a commercial yacht towing service would be viable in busy places - the Solent, the Clyde, the Thames - as first resort for the coastguard to call on. A bit like the way the police will use a commercial towing service if you conk out on the motorway and don't have breakdown cover.