Call firefighters doing work around the firehouse

I have a little issue.

In one of my old departments me as a call firefighter and others use to hang out at the station to train or ride shifts with the full timers. During that time we would help out by cleaning going over trucks and equipment and other stuff to keep busy if we werent running a call or training so we werent just sitting at the firehouse.

There were a couple full timers that would complain all the time that us call guys "scabs" as they called us were completing union work and shouldnt be doing anything that is in their contract because we dont pay union does and are not full time.

Is this something that would bother alot of full timers or are these 2 special.

I didnt see a problem with it.

Notrying to start an argument or pin call guys versus full timers. So please do not take it as such. Thank you

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Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on April 16, 2010 at 10:58pm

You've witnessed how some who depend on the union for their livelihood sometimes behave. Those who claim you're stepping on their toes by doing union work are insecure in their own. "Riding along" with a large department near my home town is now a thing of the past because the union felt a rider was threatening to take away a member's seat on the truck. Those of us who "rode along" tried explaining that we never replaced paid guys, only suplemented the crews. The union, as a whole, is a good thing, however. Don't be discouraged.

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Permalink Reply by Derek R. on April 16, 2010 at 10:58pm

Sorry to say, but there are a lot of union members (fire related or other) who take it very seriousely. They do have full right to say what they did.

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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on April 16, 2010 at 11:01pm

I have a little issue. In one of my old departments, me as a call firefighter, myself and others ~~use to~~ would hang out at the station to train or ride shifts with the full timers. During that time we would help out by cleaning, going over trucks and equipment, ~~and other stuff~~ etc, to keep busy. There were a couple of full timers that would complain all the time that us call guys, "scabs" as they called us, were completing union work and shouldn't be doing anything that is in their contract because we don't pay union ~~does~~ dues and are not full time.

Is this something that would bother a lot of full timers or are these 2 special? I didnt see a problem with it.
I'm Nnot trying to start an argument or pin call guys versus full timers, Sso please do not take it as such. Thank you.

I hope this helps. :-)

Regarding the situation, is this really a big issue for you? If you are a member of the department, then the rigs, equipment, training, and maintainence are also your responsibility as well. No, this is not a common attitude out there among full timers, it can and does happen, but don't let it bother you either that you have to make a gripe about it. As another firefighter, it only makes sense to know the equipment, that it is maintained and clean. That is why every workday I still check my SCBA, radio, rig equipment, and so forth, even if no calls were run the day before, some things are just everyone's responsibility and not a contract item.

Call firefighters doing work around the firehouse

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