[Geoff]

A proper job is being a coal miner, isn't it, Griffin?

[one eyed window cleaning]

Thats what I always say to cold callers, who w want to sell me advertising. Grrrrr ;-)

[G Griffin]

A proper job is being a coal miner, isn't it, Griffin?

Yes.
And being a lion tamer, too.

[Panorama]

 Been reading the daily mail to much me thinks , why the hell does it bother people so much if I work part time window cleaning, I declare it ,

[Geoff]

I'm thinking about moonlighting delivering newspapers.  But some might accuse me of not having a proper job as a window cleaner.

[robert mitchell]

what gets your back up then?

The "tax free second income" ?

complete myth

Gold plated pension ?

complete myth

I've known a few firefighters who clean windows for extra money.  One in particular stood out as we ended up helping each other out.  He did it mainly because he was saving up for retirement as his pension pot was not adequate.  It became unnecessary in the end as he managed to get one of the desk jobs anyway as he got older.  He told me that he declared everything (bear in mind that he already used his tax free allowance in the fire service) because if he wasn't squeaky clean and got caught, the fire service would sack him.  Apparently there's no room even for small transgressions.

The above is spot on ,The fire service can sack you for anything that "brings the service into disrepute"

Unfortunately there are very very few desk jobs now and they expect firefighters to go up ladders , use very heavy hydraulic tools , get up suddenly in the middle of the night and be instantly alert and as for entering a hot fire situation when you are nearing sixty ........ridiculous.  You have to actually experience it to understand what it takes out of you .

As for the gold plated pension , we pay around double the contributions of most public sector workers and our pension is still not great .

40 years to get a full pension and if you cant make it to 60 the government want to take 5% of your pension for every year early , so if you get ill or injured for whatever reason and have to leave at 50 you have lost 50% of your pension ......even if you have paid in for thirty years.
That is the reason strikes are looming , not because of pay event though we had no pay rise for three years with inflation at 5% then a 1% rise last year ....... a rise that has been negated by the increase in pension contributions.

Im sure the papers will report differently though and slag us off rather than print the truth and the people that read the bull will believe it as gospel .

[tlwcs]

what gets your back up then?

The "tax free second income" ?

complete myth

Gold plated pension ?

complete myth

I've known a few firefighters who clean windows for extra money.  One in particular stood out as we ended up helping each other out.  He did it mainly because he was saving up for retirement as his pension pot was not adequate.  It became unnecessary in the end as he managed to get one of the desk jobs anyway as he got older.  He told me that he declared everything (bear in mind that he already used his tax free allowance in the fire service) because if he wasn't squeaky clean and got caught, the fire service would sack him.  Apparently there's no room even for small transgressions.

The above is spot on ,The fire service can sack you for anything that "brings the service into disrepute"

Unfortunately there are very very few desk jobs now and they expect firefighters to go up ladders , use very heavy hydraulic tools , get up suddenly in the middle of the night and be instantly alert and as for entering a hot fire situation when you are nearing sixty ........ridiculous.  You have to actually experience it to understand what it takes out of you .

As for the gold plated pension , we pay around double the contributions of most public sector workers and our pension is still not great .

40 years to get a full pension and if you cant make it to 60 the government want to take 5% of your pension for every year early , so if you get ill or injured for whatever reason and have to leave at 50 you have lost 50% of your pension ......even if you have paid in for thirty years.
That is the reason strikes are looming , not because of pay event though we had no pay rise for three years with inflation at 5% then a 1% rise last year ....... a rise that has been negated by the increase in pension contributions.

Im sure the papers will report differently though and slag us off rather than print the truth and the people that read the bull will believe it as gospel .

It's a second income bit that most other professions are not allowed though. It's  like saying the pays crap but you can make it up grass cutting, building, window cleaning or whatever.
 
I think that the salary is an insult for what is expected with RTA,s and other emergencies, but then its not fair to turn up for a night shift where you may have to use heavy equipment after a days graft

Pensions are a lottery with no winners. Time served was the major contributing factor. The Daily Mirror pension was good  untill Maxwell took all its funds and realistically who gets to work anywhere to build up length of service these days.

Whether its right or wrong, everything changes. I have a mate who is a fireman and its not a job I would like to do.

[johnny bravo]

a proper job is one giving you the minimum wage.

[robert mitchell]

any proffession can have a second income , the only stipulation is that your not in direct competition to your employer or there is a conflict of interest.

The hard graft is usually done on days off rather than between night shifts and anyone can go into any job knackered , hungover or whatever .

The salary is an insult for what you have to be prepared to do but then its the same for soldiers,police etc ........ the draw to the job used to be a good pension but thats long gone for most public sector jobs.

[bumper]

lets face it we are one rung up the ladder than the Rag-and-bone man,people can do without there windows cleaned.
Any old iron Any old iron Any, any, any old iron You look neat. Talk about a treat