Stevo Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 I appreciate that the Shetland branch of the Coastguard has been saved, after recent proposals to close (modernize) it. However there is something that has been annoying me the last few days. In last Friday's Shetland Times, there was 4 jobs advertised for Coastguards working out of Lerwick, which is all fine and well. Coming from a shipping background, i think its excellent that there will be local folk in the station, if anything it will be good to hear a Shetland voice on the radio, but as I studied the advert closer I noticed the Starting pay is £16823 rising to a maximum of £18413. Which isn't the best to be honest. For the responsibility of providing a life saving service, why is the wage so low? The advert states the post holder will be responsible for taking 999 calls. But WHAT really annoyed me was on the other page there was a job advertised for an "Administration Assistant" who's responsibility included filing, and meeting and greeting customers. For a respectable wage of £21610. Which angers me. The people who are protecting our lives/seas are paid at basically the minimum wage. They are being taken for a ride in my opinion. Is the cheap wages to compensate for the massive waste of money on the consultation for the coastguard and the bosses various trips around the country to sell their case? Isn't this wrong or is this just me being a cynical grumpy old man..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egbert-Mcwhirter Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Welcome to the modern UK , its a real dog of country these days ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordanKZ Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 My girlfriends father works for the coastguard and they didn't even know about these positions opening. Literally no word was given to them. Trust me, they're as annoyed as you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo Posted January 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 My girlfriends father works for the coastguard and they didn't even know about these positions opening. Literally no word was given to them. Trust me, they're as annoyed as you are. Why are they annoyed? With regards to the pathetic pay being offered or the fact no one told them about the new jobs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordanKZ Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 The latter. They're trying to save money and this is quite the opposite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 I have further communications from Mike Penning. I initially wrote to my MP to make my point and that I had been involved with the campaign in Shetland and my opinion on the wider cuts. She wrote back 3-4 months later and after the 2nd deadline.If any of the Coastguards want a copy for their file, they know how to get me. Divide and rule is the name of this one, despicable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarffie Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 My girlfriends father works for the coastguard and they didn't even know about these positions opening. Literally no word was given to them. Trust me, they're as annoyed as you are. Sorry, but all the full time CGs at the Knab should have been aware of the imminent new positions, the station manager (who is not me) has been quite open about it for months, mostly due to the frustration of getting the advert out and passed by the DfTs wonderful new 'shared services' centre at Swansea rather than the good old days of Ok'ing it with our own HR department and slapping an ad in the ST.The exact timing of the advert would be the unknown element, not the advert itself. As for the pay issue, Stevo... we're civil servants - and used to disappointment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser chef Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 The civil servants normally get the lower wages in return for a better pension. Call it a 'trade off' if you will. Is it any wonder then, that there's so much anger that the government wants to rob these people of their retirement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo Posted January 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 My girlfriends father works for the coastguard and they didn't even know about these positions opening. Literally no word was given to them. Trust me, they're as annoyed as you are. Sorry, but all the full time CGs at the Knab should have been aware of the imminent new positions, the station manager (who is not me) has been quite open about it for months, mostly due to the frustration of getting the advert out and passed by the DfTs wonderful new 'shared services' centre at Swansea rather than the good old days of Ok'ing it with our own HR department and slapping an ad in the ST.The exact timing of the advert would be the unknown element, not the advert itself. As for the pay issue, Stevo... we're civil servants - and used to disappointment Are these imminent new positions due to the re-structure of the Coastguard or are these to combat natural wastage? 4 Positions seems to be a large number for one intake? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarffie Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 these are due to natural wastage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsam Posted January 28, 2012 Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 Regardin da salary differences da thread wis started wi, da office job will be based on a 35ish hour week, whereas wir coastguard pay is based on a 42 hour workin week, doin 12 hour day and nightshifts. Minimum wage for an emergency service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urabug Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 (edited) Well here we go again with the Coastguard Service in the news headlines. Is this bureaucracy gone crazy again. Thought when I heard the report on radio Shetland on Friday it was April fools day. I'm no expert, but there is many a day that helicopters will not be able to work near cliffs due to wind,fog ect,and as for flying in a team if required surely this is dependent on the weather as well. I would think that the local CRE teams could show these "experts" a thing or two . Edited September 21, 2015 by Urabug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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