In reply to the Government’s recent statement, Unite has referenced the publishing of GFRS salaries “as expected and completely out of context”.

A statement from Unite follows below:

Unite the Union has today (5^th March) branded the publishing of GFRS salaries as expected and completely out of context.

Government have stated in their press release, in response to the demonstration outside of No.6 today, that the “average pay across the service is £70,061.07”; however no explanation has been provided as to how this figure has been calculated and also who it includes, whether all GFRS employees including senior management or not. No context has been provided to those total earnings, without that context, the figure does not accurately represent what a frontline firefighter earns and risks presenting a misleading picture of firefighter pay.

Firefighters in Gibraltar are contracted to work a 42-hour week but are conditioned to work 56 hours per week under the current shift system, which represent 50% more hours than the standard, full time working week. This means firefighters work an additional 14 hours every week beyond their contractual hours. These additional hours are paid as overtime and form a significant part of a firefighter’s annual earnings. Presenting a headline salary figure without explaining that it includes payment for hundreds of additional hours worked each year does not provide an accurate representation of a firefighter’s basic pay.

It should also be noted that since 2014 the terms and conditions for newly recruited firefighters have changed significantly. Firefighters employed since that date are engaged under revised terms and conditions which result in lower overall earnings than colleagues employed previously. As more firefighters now serve under these revised arrangements, the “average salary” figure presented by Government does not accurately reflect the earnings of many firefighters currently serving within the GFRS. The basic hourly rate of a Competent Firefighter when broken down is £18.56 per hour in a physically demanding and hazardous job role.

The Government has characterised the claim as a 7.5% pay increase simply for working night shifts. This does not reflect the basis of the claim. The 7.5% figure arises directly from the Government’s own shift disturbance framework, which recognises the impact of unsocial working hours.

Under Government policy, day shift workers attract a disturbance allowance of 12.5%, while rotating shift workers that include night duties attract 20%. Firefighters operate a rotating shift system that includes night duties throughout their careers. The differential between these two figures is the basis of the issue raised.

While some firefighters remain in receipt of certain allowances under arrangements that pre-date the changes introduced in 2014, these allowances do not recognise shift disturbance or night work. Across Government departments it is common practice for specific allowances to reflect unsocial working hours.

Furthermore, firefighters in the United Kingdom receive a range of additional allowances and specialist pay supplements, including those related to specialist roles, equipment maintenance and instructional duties, which are not currently received by members of the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service. Despite operating a rotating shift system that includes night duties, GFRS firefighters do not currently receive a distinct allowance that recognises the impact of this working pattern.

Stuart Davies, National Officer for Unite Gibraltar stated “Once again we have a situation where HMGOG opt to publish the salaries of their employees and our members, seemingly to seek to undermine their meritorious claim for recognition of their shiftwork that includes the regular working of nights. This is a move that was wholly anticipated and this has been done with zero context, for example no mention of members having contractual overtime of 14 hours per week which necessarily increase earnings, no-one would suggest that those additional hours should be worked for free.

“HMGOG regularly makes reference to the UK Grey Book to justify their all-inclusive pay argument; however as the union and our representatives have highlighted repeatedly, the Grey Book represents minimum standards of employment that can be augmented by local agreements, yet HMGOG simply ignore that argument and instead choose to publish salaries rather than engage in dispute resolution.

“In citing the Grey Book, HMGOG would be encouraged to heed the extensive provisions within the Grey Book agreement around industrial relations, consultation, negotiation and dispute resolution in sitting down with the union and our GFRS shop stewards to seek a resolution to this issue rather than seeking to undermine the GFRS claim via press releases and publishing salaries. Firefighters are simply seeking recognition of night shift disturbance in line with the Government’s own policy framework. This would ensure that those who routinely work unsocial hours are treated consistently with the principles already applied across Government”.

The Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service remain committed to protecting the community with professionalism and dedication. Firefighters will continue to serve the public as they always have while seeking a fair and reasonable resolution to the issue of night shift disturbance.