This website represents the views of Hampshire Retained Fire Fighters Union
Staff Bank Expressions Of Interest.
The RFU along with the FBU are asking members NOT to sign up for the Staff Bank - yet.....
Let us start by stating that the RFU are fully supportive of the idea of a Staff Bank within HFRS and recognise the advantages it will bring both individual RDS members and the service. Our standpoint is that so long as it supports unexpected shortfall requirements of staff (and not long term additional staffing requirements), it makes financial sense for the Service and offers RDS and WDS staff a great opportunity to earn additional income.
However, we are extremely concerned that HFRS are inviting 'expressions of interest' from staff to sign up to a test Staff Bank model.
The reason for our concern is that this project seems to be racing ahead without proper consultation and consideration with the Representative Bodies. Before the Staff Bank is launched the Service has both a legal and moral requirement to discuss what the contract for employment will look like for Staff Bank members and as yet we have seen nothing.
As a Representative Body it is our duty to ensure that the contract offered to Staff Bank members offers them at least a standard which is similar to current Grey Book employees. For example we would need to see:
What the payment terms are?
What the expectations from both parties will be?
How will your Health and Safety standards be properly managed?
What will be the procedures if anything goes wrong (on both sides)?
We are deeply concerned that project is being accelerated faster than is necessary with the inescapable factor of problems later down the line and we do not want to see any new contracts leaching away the high standards of employment which you expect and which have been fought for over the years.
The current expectations proposed by the Staff Bank may indeed be satisfactory, but until we have had the opportunity to see and discuss them, the RFU sincerely ask all RDS staff to seriously consider NOT signing up for the Staff Bank yet. We appreciate that many of you will be keen to join such a scheme but urge you to consider that signing up now, may well result in your conditions of employment being less than that which you currently enjoy.
As stated previously, the RFU support the idea behind the Staff Bank and following proper discussion and negotiation we will be happy to support the scheme up - but please - hold off signing up for the moment.
The above text has been added to RFU headed paper, please print this off and display in your station.
