Retained firefighters vote to accept WRC proposals
Retained firefighters have voted to accept proposals from the Workplace Relations Commission to resolve their dispute over pay and conditions.
In a ballot of SIPTU members, 63% voted in favour of the deal.
Since June, firefighters across Meath have been going on strike to highlight their industrial dispute.
They withdrew from training and courses and did not use the radio system, however continued to turn out for calls.
A week after this strike began, half of the stations across the country closed.
On 10th July, the Labour Court made ten recommendations in relation to the dispute.
Increasing the number of staff at retained stations to reduce the liability of each firefighter to respond to alerts was one of the recommendations they suggested.
They also recommended that the retainer be increased by between 24.1% and 32.7%. This would mean a firefighter on an annual retainer of €8,870 would see it increase to €11,769 from 1st October.
An overwhelming majority rejected the Labour Court stating "there was nothing in the recommendations to deal with the precarious nature of the firefighters’ earnings with the retainer, drill and training still the only guaranteed pay."
The strike action resumed.
After an agreement was reached at the WRC last month, the firefighters suspended their industrial action.
The new agreement ensures that new recruits will enter the service with guaranteed minimum earnings of just over €18,000.
The station officers will have minimum earning between €27,256 and €31,511.
Additionally, there will be a reduction in the requirement for members of the part-time service to be available from 48 weeks to 24 weeks with an option to be available more frequently on a voluntary basis.
SIPTU Divisional Organiser Karan O Loughlin said:
"While today's vote ends the current strike, it does not end that battle.
"This has been a protracted battle to bring the poor terms and conditions for retained fire fighters into the public domain and to begin the process of rebuilding the Retained Fire Service.
"The WRC document is the beginning of the next stage for the retained firefighters."