Terms and Conditions of Employment

In addition to the competitive salaries we offer, all our employees are also entitled to a range of employee benefits.  This includes:

• A final salary pension scheme
• A personalised range of employee benefits available to you and your family.  This includes discounted and special rates applying to a number of venues and purhases
• Excellent training and career progression opportunities
• Access to gym facilities at your place of work
• Tax saving initiatives including "Bikes for Work", "Home Computing Initiative" and "Childcare Vouchers"

The salary and conditions of service applicable to these posts are those laid down by the National Joint Council for Local Authorities Fire and Rescue Services.

Recent Changes to RDS Terms and Conditions:

In 2001, two test cases were identified under the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations. These cases saw retained firefighters, backed by the FBU, argue that they should receive the same terms and conditions as their wholetime colleagues. The Tribunal found in favour of the retained firefighters and in March 2011, the National Joint Council advised fire authorities that a formal agreement had been reached and a settlement determined.

The agreement covers all RDS staff  who were employed during any part of the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2010 and, as well as a change of terms and conditions of employment, it also includes a one-off compensation payment payable to all current Strathclyde Fire & Rescue employees who served during the above periods.

Personnel who have since left the Service would, however, only qualify where they have previously raised a claim with the Employment Tribunal.

Compensation Payment

A payment, without deduction of Tax or National Insurance, will be made to eligible employees (see bold type above) by way of compensation as set out below:

Firefighter - £750.00
Crew Commander - £778.00
Watch Commander - £806.00

The compensation payment shall be based on the individual employee's role as at 30 June 2010.

The payment shall be applied on a pro-rata basis to those members who are not eligible for the full period referenced.

The payment shall be further applied on a pro-rata basis (but to not less than 75%) to any member who performed less than full cover on 30 June 2010 (or if they left prior to 30 June 2010 the level of cover they provided on their date of leaving service).

Terms and Conditions

From 1 July 2011, the change in terms and conditions of employment will see RDS staff having equivalency with their wholetime colleagues. In particular, RDS conditions will be now  amended to include sick pay, acting-up allowance and pay for public holidays. Clearly, the change to conditions will now require some additional processes to be put in place in stations, and all RDS staff members are now urged to read HR Procedure No. 15/2005 - Managing Attendance Policy and Procedure.

The change in terms and conditions will also require a number of our internal HR Policies and Procedures to be amended to include the full range of issues raised throughout the case, noted below. This work is currently ongoing and the amended documents will be available in next week's Bulletin.

• Sick Pay
• Acting-Up Allowance
• Pay for public holidays
• End of course leave
• Trade Union leave
• Overtime
• Spoiled meals allowance
• Removals/lodging allowance
• Recall to duty
• Payment during suspension
• Payment during maternity support leave
• Special leave
• All other claims or potential claims under the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations arising out of the 6th edition of the Scheme of Conditions of Service of the National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services, and its predecessors, up to 30 June 2010.

Full details of the case and the terms of settlement can be found in HR Procedure 08/2011 General Communication - Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations - Employment Tribunal Cases.