OT firefighter pension cuts

If I can't put this here then feel free to remove it.
I don't expect people to feel sorry for us, and the whole country is getting screwed right now but this video explains the reason we have started taking industrial action.
As the video mentions, in order for a firefighter to maintain required fitness at 60 then we need to be as fit as Olympic standard athletes when we join the job. The governments own report highlights this but they choose to ignore it as its detrimental to their goal.
If I can't achieve required fitness as I let older then I will be sacked. I could reach 59 not reach fitness, as a result of just getting older, and I can be sacked on capability grounds, my pension (that I pay 14% into) will be halved AND deferred til the age of 67.
I know most people won't care as they themselves have to work until 67 BUT do you want a bunch of old gits coming to your aid or younger fitter people?

We're not striking for more money, we just want to know that when we are too old to continue to do the job we do that we won't be thrown on the scrap heap.

I only put this on here as media mention the strikes but not the reason why and I can't help feeling it is an attempt to make us look lazy, greedy firefighters.

Anyway, here's a link to the video. If you do watch it and understand then please try to circulate it, if this isn't resolved by 2015 (which is why we are trying to force the governments hand) then uKd government will go ahead with it anyway. Just remember we are here to protect you and with the best will in the world we can't be as fit at 60 as we are now.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p2wEnIy6-I8

Cheers

 

Like I say, I appreciate everyone is being asked to work longer.
I know I'm fortunate enough to have a job/career. I'm well aware there are people worse off than me but as a society we need to stick together. If we don't stop the government they'll keep coming back for more.

 

Firefighters are total legends in my book on every level.
Utter unadulterated respect.

 

On the one hand, I feel for people whose pensions are being cut, it's ridiculous. DT's mum works as a home carer and she paid like £5,000 into a pension fund, and the government somehow managed to legally tell her that it's only worth £1,000 now. It's theft, plain and simple.

However, older firefighters don't realise how lucky they have it, and it bugs me that they strike every five seconds. The vast majority are on permanent contracts, something not readily given out these days. The newbreed of firefighters are the "retained" type. F*** all hours, and have to have another job to support themselves.

I think it's sick you guys attempting to hold a gun to peoples heads by withdrawing your services, but at least it gives others a chance to prove they can do your job.

 

Absolutely.
I don't take the decision lightly at all. I hate doing it, I don't look at it as a day off and chance to have a jolly but what else would you have us do?

Government are trying to stall, it will be imposed in 2015 so we've got 6 months to sort it out. Been negotiating for over 3 years without striking but government appear to want to let it just carry on ticking over until 2015 so again, what do you suggest we do?
I don't want anyone to get hurt, I joined fire service to protect people but who's gonna look after me or my family when I'm sacked just for getting older?

 

Honestly, I'm not being flippant but we having tried to negotiate for years we can't just keep nicely asking the government to reconsider its own evidence.
I know it's a big ask to try and get support from the very people who's lives we are putting at risk when we withdraw our services but I honestly don't think many know the reason why. I'm sure most people assume we just want even more favourable working conditions, a pay rise etc but its not the case.

I honestly know how crap some people have it and it annoys me. I do everything I can to make sure other people are ok. Sounds stupid but I won't use a self service till in a shop because a human being could be doing it, very little example but it is my mindset.
Just because others have it worse doesn't mean we haven't got genuine cause for concern.
Everyone has to work longer..... knock on effect ageing workforce and more unemployed youngsters but that's a different subject.
I will work until I'm 67 if that's what I need to do, I'm no more special than the checkout assistant.
I've still got to wait until 67 to draw my state pension just like everybody else. If I fail fitness at 58 then I will hopefully find a job elsewhere until 67 and continue to contribute to society, or indeed start living in the real world where there are no jobs, no contracted hours, no pensions etc. I just want to know that the money I have paid in until I am deemed too old and knackered to do the job I love is protected.

I hate that young people, or indeed a lot of other people seem to have no hope of finding a job with any security, have any hope of moving out of their parents and buying their own home but it doesn't mean that I can't be genuinely concerned about me own well being later in life. I will get older and I could realistically lose my job as a result.
Instead of thinking that we want an easy ride think of what you want from a public service that may one day have to rescue you. I know I'd want younger fitter people coming to my aid.

 

so what else do you think they can do? they have been putting there point forward and getting no where ,there getting shafted.I don't want to ring for the fire service hoping a young un will come along to find a bloke or woman (thats another joke) that's struggling to do his job because he has been forced to work on the front line when he is way past his best.just because some soft twat sat on his fat arse in an office thinks HEY lets do this

 

The public sector needs trimming massively, no doubt, but it always seems that the government wants to scrimp in the wrong places. How about starting by cutting the 100,000s useless jobsworths that pay themselves a fortune managing the NHS or local authorities? Not to mention the so-called 'super heads' in the education system, or the ridiculous compensation of some senior police officers ... I could go on.

Saving money that ways would allow us to afford to give the public sector workers who do needed, and often thankless work, a decent standard of living and job security.

The foreign aid budget should be ditched too (100%) of it since it does nothing but put money in the pockets of UK based poverty barons and corrupt overseas tyrants. Also it hasn't really accomplished anything - well except possibly keeping poor countries poor.