President
On Feb. 28, a majority of the members of Local 4269 voted to ratify a collective bargaining agreement with the Town of Ocean City. The agreement provides that the Town may transition fire/EMS personnel to a 10s and 14s shift alignment – two 10-hour day shifts, followed by two 14-hour night shifts, followed by four days off – as soon as Oct. 1, 2017.
The members of Local 4269 do not believe that this is a good course for fire department operations. However, the members of Local 4269 recognize that the dispute over this issue, which has persisted for more than a year, must be resolved.
The membership of Local 4269 has ratified the agreement on terms that do not do justice to the change insisted upon by the town, and after of a course of negotiating by the town that did not reflect fair compromise. But it is time to move on.
The transition to 10s and 14s moves the department in the wrong direction. The present shift alignment of one 24-hour shift followed by three days off is the shift alignment used by the majority of professional fire departments in Maryland and beyond. It provides for operational continuity.
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12 comments:
Blah, Blah, Blah!! I am sure if you look hard enough you can find people to work. If the adm does its job the shifts can be worked out and continuity will be just fine.
And, please stop with the recovery BS. First if they do not work 24 hour shift then they will not need the recovery. Second, most do not go into recovery mode any way.
"...the town simply insisted on the change."
Same ol, same ol play downtown and bickering with everyone. Street performers; local hotel/restaurant experts; trees protruding over others property; fire/rescue personnel; police force; etc etc.
Yet the vagrancy still exists blighted properties hitting one in their face come off the route 90 bridge; more hotel buildings..I just don't know anymore.
How's the 5 year strategic plan coming along there folks? Or did you drop kick it when the last city planner got booted for drinking?
"The agreement provides that the Town may transition fire/EMS personnel to a 10s and 14s shift alignment – two 10-hour day shifts, followed by two 14-hour night shifts, followed by four days off – as soon as Oct. 1, 2017."
And you are going to hate every minute of this shift work!! I did it for many years and I would quit before I had to do it again. I lost my marriage over it because I was always working and when I wasn't I was exhausted.
They want the 24 hour shifts so they can sleep while they are being paid. Then they can leave there and go to another fire station and "work" another 24 hour shift and get paid for sleeping there too. A lot of them do this. No wonder they want to keep the 24 hour shifts. I know this for a fact
Having worked shifts like this it is very unhealthy. There have been numerous studies on this. Transitioning constantly from day and night does a lot of harm to the body. I have never worked the 24 shift but also don't like the sleeping on the job part of it. The thing is if they worked normal shifts you would need more personnel to cover the 24 hours, and the employer won't pay for this addition. So they are forced to work the crazy schedules. If you have never worked any of these hours you do not understand what it is about.
They can still sleep on this schedule
24 on 72 off have been proven to be the best shift for fire departments. The schedule that they are going to, has the potential for them to be up for two days in a row. The second night shift they work, will be the most dangerous shift they work. They are still allowed to lay down at night, so what has been accomplished by moving to this? This is also going to generate overtime, due to them not getting off on time because they will be on calls.
I agree switching from days to nights and vice versa is not optimal. But it is part of the job. I do not see the police going to 24 on 48 off. There are ways to fix this. Need to hire more people and I do not believe for a second you cannot get people to take these jobs in OC. I could be wrong. I have witnessed some of these people with the 24/48 schedule. They are not resting in the the 48 so please stop with the BS.
They will struggle to get part timers.
Three Shifts done
So, originally their schedule provided six days off for every forty-eight hours worked. Now, they receive four days off for every forty-eight hours worked. Does anybody else wish to receive a four-day break for every week worked? Forty-eight hours is a normal work week for many, many people. Of course, that's forty-eight hours of actual work with only one or two days off.
darn, I'm ems for oc I make about 175K a year with take home vehicle, live in wico county and you want me to work? come on man! wtf?
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