Retained firefighters under threat
We fear that our government is about to give up the UK's voluntary opt out to the Working Time Directive. This is why it matters.
Fire stations in West Dorset are staffed entirely by retained firefighters. These dedicated people usually have jobs outside the fire service and are "on call" either in their own homes or at work. If there is a fire or accident emergency, they drop everything to respond.
The system works. Our highly trained retained firefighters do a fantastic job and their service means that we can have a chain of local fire stations across West Dorset.
But it only works because the UK has kept the right for some workers to choose to opt out of the EU Working Time Directive. That limits working hours to 48 hours per week.
Now we fear that the government is about to give up the UK's right to opt out. That would be a disaster for our retained firefighters because their total working hours could be well over the 48 hour limit. As a result many of of these dedicated men and women could be forced to give up their work with the fire service.
The consequences would be catastrophic for all seven West Dorset fire stations (Sherborne, Maiden Newton, Dorchester, Bridport, Charmouth, Lyme Regis and Beaminster). The cost of keeping them open with full time firefighters would be prohibitive so the chances are that they would be closed.
Our campaign
Your local Liberal Democrats, led by parliamentary candidate Sue Farrant and MEP Graham Watson, are pressing the government to keep the voluntary opt-out clause so that our retained firefighters can continue their essential work.
We must make the government realise how important this is.
We need your help!
Please sign our petition below to show the government how strongly we feel about this. They must keep the UK's voluntary opt out from the working time directive so we can keep our retained firefighters!
Firefighters save lives. Help us save our firefighters!
For more information about our local campaigning, go to www.west-dorset-libdems.org.uk
