FIRE FIGHTERS BLOW SMOKE UP MANAGEMENTS ARSE

We saw this story in the Southland Times this morning and at first we laughed - they we got a bit cross.

Fire trucks are now parked outside the Fire station garage at considerable cost because the Union has deemed them a health risk. Bugger me.

We have in a past life spent a lot of time at the Invercargill Fire station, cheap beer and hunky blokes and all that. Nice place. Good men - but they are the last of the hardcore unionists.

Anyway - Alf Grumble is gobsmacked as are we. He rightly points out that the Health and safety Act is partly to blame - Labour faffed around with the Act in 2002 and that has led to fatuous crap like this .

The New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union said diesel fumes when the trucks left or returned to fire stations were a health and safety risk and until extractor systems were installed fire trucks throughout the country were to be kept outside.

Fire Service Southland area manager Brendan Nally slammed the decision as ludicrous and said it could put his staff at risk.

"There's more immediate and substantive risk for my guys running out to the trucks on an icy or wet morning."

Invercargill's three frontline trucks, one spare pump, a tanker and the service's new hazmat vehicle have not been allowed in the station garage since after Christmas.

Mr Nally said a national safety and wellbeing committee study found no evidence the service's personnel suffered poor health effects from diesel fume exposure.

"There's just no direct link."

Now while we all love firemen it would be interesting to know just how many days a year the trucks are actually in operation. In other words how many times are they " exposed" to this "risk."

A bloody forecourt attendant at a petrol station would be exposed to more fumes.

The professional firefighters union is probably one of the more militant unions we have and this is a clear case of the boys showing their union muscle.

Sad really. Sad because its forcing the Fire Service to waste money on crap.

This posturing wont save lives.

It wont save money.

But it will reduce the credibility of the union.

Union boss and Derek Best should be called to account for directing his men to take action that costs money that could be better spent doing something like putting fire alarms in houses and educating youngsters about the danger of fire. That would save lives - that's what firefighters like doing isn't it?

FANNING THE FLAMES

Firemen are the last of the old breed unionists.

But boy are they whingy these days. Everyone out there in wages land is taking a hit in the wallet as the reality of the recession bites.

But no, firemen want more. Why? Well because they are firemen. Tough bloody titty we say.

They are no different that any other sector of the community. And its time they should stop pretending they are more deserving than everyone else. And as for the spurious argument that they have a low base rate, maybe they do but by crikey we challenge them to list ALL of their allowances and pay clip ons, hours of work, conditions, and average holidays a year.

So guys, harden up.

EVERY WORKER EVERY WHERE SHOULD ASK THIS QUESTION

How much money does my union have in the bank, in shares, in assets?

Now this morning unions are bleating about the 9 day week subsidy and saying that employers should top it up. Duh. the reason the govt is putting up some money is because of the cash strapped position that employers are facing.

So here is a question for the PSA, Fire Fighters union,Amalgamated Workers Union , Service Workers Union, Finsec, EPMU to name but a few - just what do you have in union funds , and in assets including holiday homes in places like Queenstown, office blocks in Wellington and Christchurch and Auckland.

You see when the de-unionisation of the country took place in the late 80's and 90's some of the unions got real smart and invested widely to insure they always had heaps of dosh.

So if there is a story out there waiting to be told it is just is the worth of the unions and why aren't they stumping up in these trying times.

And if they are really into collective socialist responsibility then maybe unions could pool their resources and share out some of their lucre.