Exclusive: Outrage at £95 weekly wage plan for a new firefighter

Instead of recruiting new front- line staff on a conventional salary, the option of employing apprentice firefighters is to be considered in a move which would see them paid only the minimum wage.

But for apprentices aged under 19, that minimum does not apply and they could be paid only £95 a week under the scheme, to be considered by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority.

The suggestion provoked outrage from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), which said the proposed apprenticeship scheme would “take advantage of young, vulnerable people” and would “cheapen the skills of the firefighter”.

The union, which has yet to be consulted by the fire service over the plans, also voiced concerns that gaps in the service were being filled by employing people “on the cheap”.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority has previously found itself in conflict with the FBU over the pay rises it awarded to its previous chief fire officer before his retirement this year, with his salary rising from less than £120,000 in 2007 to £165,000 18 months ago.

Ian Murray, the FBU’s executive council member for Yorkshire & Humberside, said: “I am aware that there are some discussions going on nationally regarding apprenticeships but I think it can be seen from South Yorkshire’s reasons they are treating the opportunity of introducing apprenticeships purely as a money saving exercise by getting labour on the cheap as opposed to the nationally agreed rates of pay for those who join the fire service.

“These apprenticeships will cheapen the skills of the firefighter and will take advantage of young, vulnerable people who are desperate to get jobs with just the bare, basic minimum wage.”

A trainee firefighter currently receives around £380 a week. After the first three months, wages will typically increase to £420 a week, before rising again after anything between 18 months and three years.

Under the new proposals, apprenticeships would take between one and four years to complete and the service would be under no obligation to employ the trainee staff afterwards.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority denied the plans, which will be considered at a fire service meeting today, would be brought in to save money. A spokesman said: “We see the potential of offering apprenticeships as an exciting part of our new programme to identify and develop highly motivated staff with practical skills and qualifications, and offer them a long-term career pathway.

“We hope to offer apprenticeships in a wide range of roles, providing academic qualifications, on-job training and the possibility of future employment at the end of the apprenticeship.”

Mr Murray added: “This to me sounds like they are just cheapening the role of firefighters. They will pay below the agreed national rates of pay and then be able to hire and fire these youngsters at will.”

Michael Dugher, Labour MP for Barnsley East, said: “South Yorkshire Fire Authority have been put in an impossible position because of the massive cuts being forced upon them by the Government. Apprenticeships on the cheap is just one consequence. I am really worried we’ll see drastic cuts to frontline services too.”

A spokesman from the Department for Communities and Local Government said: “Although the Government recognises that there will still be some challenging choices for fire authorities to make, it believes savings can be made without impacting on the quality or breadth of services.”

JOB CUTS AND STATION CLOSURES ON AGENDA

Yorkshire’s two biggest fire services, in West and South Yorkshire, are both advancing plans to reduce their workforces and cut the number of fire stations in a bid to balance budgets as deep cuts to Government grants are imposed.

West Yorkshire Fire Authority has just approved plans to close ten stations and replace them with five alternatives at different locations, as part of plans to absorb the loss of £18m in Government grants over the next four years.

Colleagues in South Yorkshire face a similar dilemma and plans there include a shake-up in the location of fire stations and how they are staffed, along with the loss of 140 jobs.