Please, tell me it a'int true

[Watch_Dog]

Some of you here, actually want to go to the 48 Hours On/72 Hours Off Shift.

Talk about going backwards.

[firechief46]

It only takes some good balancing!

[Jake_The_Snake]

Imagine that, another stupid ass monkey picture. Someone's a sore loser, aren't they?

[Jake The Fake]

Jake, please remember to take your medications....ok?

[fedtick]

NIH went to that shift a few weeks ago and they like it. It would suck not working with the same crews, but the three days at home would be nice.

[DickDelicious]

Try like BWI and go 24/72 or will that interfere with your sleep

[fedtick]

No it will cut into the pay

[Watch_Dog]

I'd be happy with a 24/48 hr. Shift, and it won't cut into the pay.

[coondog]

If we could go to a 24/48 without loosing any money than why dont you do the leg work and make it happen. In the mean time the ones who have done all the work for 48/72 are going to push that schedule. I dont see it as going backwards, any change is going fowards.

[Chief46]

By law you must work a 72 hr work week (144 hrs per pay period) to maintain the same level of pay as you receive right now.

Any reduction in hours per pay period will result in a reduction in gross pay. With that said, the option is always there to reduce hours with a reduction in pay.

You could easily switch to a 60 hr work week - take a $7K reduction in pay and enjoy a small retirement check later on.

[James Freeman]

Betcha F/C NDWFD isn't going to get a reduction in pay, benefits or incentives...in fact HE will get a BONUS for "doing more with less". Just like HE is cutting the manning at all those departments under his jurisdiction. Also with the making of the "3rd Shift" there will be some "rewards" for his favorites come promotion time? Again, no loss there. Just you guys on the floor taking it on the chin (some more).

[Outsider]

Do you hear, what I hear?

[Watch_Dog]

The only thing I hear, are the surrounding area F.D.'s laughing at us, for even contemplating going to this whacked shift.

[firechief46]

Bonus money, who me?

[Outsider]

Hey Watchdog, looks like only one guy out of all the F/F's at NIH like's this F up'd Shift, that must tell you something.

I bet he lives about a 100 miles away from NIH, that's why he likes it.

[McFire]

What's all the hubbub about going from 24 on/24 off to 48 on/72 off for the federal guys? That was proposed in my department too (we're mixed military and civil service) and only a few were for it. The 144 hour pay period is here to stay and no one wants less money. On the surface, 48/72 sounds terrible, but after comparing the two choices on a list (pros/cons), 48/72 is the way to go by far. You'll save fifty percent on your gas consumption alone coming and going to work. You'll have a lot more time to spend at home with your family, instead of being at the station every single day (coming or going). You'll be able to have more time off while taking fewer leave days. Shift Wars will disappear as everyone will work together at one time or another. The only real drawback is being on shift two straight days. Folks I know around the country who tried it, love it far better than the old 24/24 with a kelly day. The naysayers can say what they want, but no federal firefighter would go to a 56 or 60 work week and lose thousands of dollars in pay and want to retire with a smaller check. Anyhow, check it out. It's not as bad as you may think. I thought no way in hell till I looked at the pro/con list. I just wish the old dinosaurs in my department would have gone for it, but they're afraid of change.

McFire

[FED51]

Hey Outsider....
Just because you all only recieved one reply does not mean we don't like the shift. Out of 26 F/F's on the floor ( we are down 2) only 3 do not care for it. The rest of us love it. We will never go back to 24/24. The only reason those couple of guys don't like it is bacause their wives don't. It is hard with little ones at home, but its the same hours p/p and your there more at once.

For the record.....NIH will be keeping the 48/72.

[MckCh613]

Fed51 is right, when we first went to this schedule there was several that was against it, but it was agreed to try it for 6 months. During this trial period several that was against it has had a change of opinion, and I feel 100% positive that at the end of the 6 months in december, we will keep the 48/72 schedule. As with anything, you can never please everyone so yes their is still 2 or 3 that don't like it, and like Fed51 said, they have little children, but on the other side of that, it has been stated that some others that have children has seen their relationship change for the better.

But again don't just take our word for it, open your eyes, and open your mind and give it a try, a trial basis will not hurt anything, and then you can base your opinion on experience, and not just hear say.

[Outsider]

I keep hearing from your guy's on the floor how much they hate it, and only a couple of you like it, and the ones that do like it, are the ones who are always off on Friday's or Saturday's.

[MckCh613]

I have not heard any of that, however the 6 month trial period is up in December, so I guess time will tell.

[James Freeman]

The new shifts are just another way for the NDW F/C to get away with working with less manpower. HE doesn't have to worry about such things as 'family', 'children' and 'home life'. HE gets to pocket that $10K-$15K BONUS every year for "efficient management"! Yes, he can work you overtime and make you feel good because you no longer have to do 72hrs straight. But he can work you more often in overtime rotation and make it look good. He STILL gets the SAME manpower budget whether he hires the PROPER number of people or not! Where do you all think THAT money goes? Hmmmm? Other departments on the outside get same/more pay and less hours for the same job you do! They're laughing at you! Is E****S******** going to take care of you? I DON"T THINK SO! He is only going to take care of the ones who go his way! He has said many times over the years that he doesn't care about the firefighters. He can "always get more". Well the time has come where even the dummys know that this job isn't "all that" in the NDW Fire Service. It's totally up to you all to begin doing something. Write letters and e-mails to your elected officials. Make phone calls on your own. Talk to other people in a position to get publicity (Remember Free Speech? It's guaranteed by the Constitution!). Forget your "union". It's totally up to you. It is also cheaper than paying out money that is not helping you or feeding you. Does you Chief even KNOW YOUR NAMES? I don't think so! REALLY! He keeps himself so far up Bldg 200's behind that he actually doesn't know the names of his people! (Yeah, he has a list of names, but he can't put faces on them!) How often does he even talk to you all? When was the last time that anyone below the rank of Captain worked extra hours? When was the last time that anyone got the actual classes they ASKED for? ("We don't have the time/manpower/budget for that request.") But you can take the same class that you have already had 4 times before because that is what is "scheduled" by his "Training Division".

When was the last time your apparatus was fixed properly? ("We don't have the money in the apparatus budget for that.") or ("It's on order.")

But you notice that HE and HIS ride around in style ALL THE TIME and HE and HIS get to go to ANYTHING at ANYTIME they want to. (Those "conventions" and "seminars" are VITAL to operating NDWFD!) The firefighters can just get it "on the job".