Should we subcontract all government services?

[conarb]

The newspapers continue to publish the extortion, the firefighters are the worst offenders.

Database shows $12.2 billion in Bay Area public employee salaries The Alameda County Fire Department, which is a special district governed by the board of supervisors that maintains its own payroll system, had the highest average salary of the 109 entities: Its 311 full-time employees averaged $144,345.23 in 2009.

Fire departments are often the highest-paid agencies in a city government. The firefighters in four cities — Millbrae, Vallejo, Redwood City and Mountain View — exceeded $150,000 in average gross pay last year.¹

¹ http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_15153053?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com&nclick_check=1

 

[fatboy]

again...........friggen CA..........not that way most all of of the country...........course, ya'll pay ridiculous mid-six figure prices for houses........

 

[RJJ]

The people have to get control of government! I do not believe that contracting out for services will provide the best results.

 

[brudgers]

You live in Alemeda county?

If so, talk to your elected officials.

If not, you don't have standing.

 

[High Desert]

You could put a lot of sprinklers in California homes with that kind of money.

 

[Alias]

The newspapers continue to publish the extortion, the firefighters are the worst offenders.¹ http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_15153053?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com&nclick_check=1

Not all of them. I'm in CA and the only paid person is on the city fire department and he is the fire marshal. All thirteen local fire departments in the entire county are volunteer including the city's fire department.

Sue, proud of our firefighters

 

[vegas paul]

If we want to subcontract out all government services, let's start with subbing out the elected officials!

 

[jeffc]

Fire fighters in our area help with political campaigns and are good at performing in front of the public. The dividends for these activities are great as they get paid very well and work 9 days a month. As to the question of standing, that is a legal term that does not lend itself to this situation. I think we all have an interest in excessive pay for public employees regardless if we live there or not. What fire fighters in another state earn could be used as a global example of excessive pay and justification for reducing everyone wage. As to the question on subcontracting, I think government has a role and can work better than the private sector in some areas. I have seen privatization at work. It resulted was higher costs and less recourse.

 

[north star]

* * * *

If we want to subcontract out all government services, let's start with subbing out the elected officials!

That would surely open the doors [ further ] for corrupt dealings and paying to receive favored rulings. * * * *

 

[High Desert]

We could all be like Bell, CA.

 

[FyrBldgGuy]

Con,

Put a sign out in front of your house so the fire fighters will understand that you believe they are all extorionists.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Gilbert Seldon, the fire chief of the Alameda County department, said most public service agencies have cut deeply, but the public still expects to receive basic services. Firefighters work 56-hour weeks at regular pay under state law and don't get overtime until the 57th hour.

I wish I could get paid to grocery shop, prepare and eat, breakfast, lunch and dinner, work out, watch tv and take a nap.

Why are firefighters on 24 hour shifts? Why not 8, 10, or 12 like law enforcement or hospitals. People who work long hours are not as alert, they will make mistakes, it happens

Our firefighter have asked for a 12% raise over 3 years. Nobody else in the city is asking for raises we are just glad we have jobs

 

[beach]

I was a building inspector in a past life. People that live in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks..... and I KNOW some of you know exactly what I'm talking about.

 

[Jobsaver]

Beach, I do not know what you are talking about. Obviously, there are diligent bloggers in every profession!

 

[Big Willie]

Seems as though you may have touched a nerve here ' mtlogcabin '...

 

[fatboy]

I've wondered that before.......why the long shifts for FF's? Seem's like it would work out better, and more efficiently (dorm style fire stations?) working regular shifts........... cops, dispatchers, paramedics do it.........serious question, why?

Anyway, that being said...it is...what it is....for now.

If you think it is a great, high paid profession, then you should have gone into it, I considered it in my younger days, but kept pounding nails.

 

[mtlogcabin]

What is the purpose of a 24 hour shift and what are the benefits to the community that can't be met with a 8, 10 or 12 hour shift.

The link below discusses the problems and possible solutions of fire fighters working long hours it fails to mention the number of fire fighters who have a "second job" during their 48 hours off and how that negatively effects their job performance as a firefighter. Every fire fighter I have ever know who works a 24 hour shift does some other job on the 48 hours off, construction, autobody shop, painters.

http://www.uc.edu/cas/firescience/reflibrary/TooManyhours.pdf

"Long work hours

Periods of work that last longer than 8 hours are considered to be extended working hours, which can lead to getting less sleep than you need. Your performance will diminish noticeably after you have been awake for 16 hours. In fact, after having been awake for 17 hours you behave as if you have a blood alcohol level of 50mg per 100ml, and after 24 hours with 100mg per 100ml.

Note: When you drive with a blood alcohol level at the legal limit (80mg per 100ml), you are three times more likely to be involved in a crash than if you hadn't had a drink. Just think how that compares with your ability to function well at work with little or no sleep. "

 

[fatboy]

Seriously, I would like to here from the Fire folks as to why there is the 24 hr shift, is there a fundamental reason? Or, is it just because that is the way it's always been done? Not dissin anyone, just asking........

 

[beach]

It takes more personnel to work eight hour shifts. We're on a 48/96 schedule....... Some very large cities have 8 or 10 hour shifts

 

[conarb]

If you think it is a great, high paid profession, then you should have gone into it, I considered it in my younger days, but kept pounding nails.

When I was a kid we were tracked in school by IQ tests, some were tracked to college, others to the trades or government jobs. When I got out of college I was working as a union carpenter, I went into my old home town to buy a permit and went to the local wateringhole after, an old friend was there who have become a fireman, I was making a $412 a month net, he was making $200 a month net, the carpenters' benefits were far superior to the firemens'.

When Governor Moonbeam was in office in the 70s he pushed though legislation to allow collective bargaining for public servants, as a union contractor I then got a union newspaper that said that the unions were going to de-emphasize the trades and emphasize the government employees, the result is that we have carpenters barely able to earn a living and firemen retiring at 50 years of age, some with half a million dollar a year pensions for life.

The public safety employees pensions are bankrupting the system, so there may not be any money there to pay the relatively low-paid public employees like the lowly building inspectors. Legally if the jurisdictions go Chapter 9 to get out out from under the pension obligations the taxpayers have to pick up the difference, that should change, bankrupt should by bankrupt.

 

[mtlogcabin]

It takes more personnel to work eight hour shifts. We're on a 48/96 schedule.......

On the surface that seems worse. No one can stay awake for 48 hours and function at 100%. You have to sleep. It might take more personnel to run shorter shifts but in the long run it would benefit the FF's overall health over the course of their carreer and better serve the people they are called upon to help, especially those on the "box" as some called it on the FF sites I was reading.

 

[Bootleg]

The best of the best are Fire Fighters now days and you get what you pay for.

A Fire Fighter in 4 min. or less at your door after you call 911.

 

[fatboy]

"It takes more personnel to work eight hour shifts."

How?

Again.....CA.......you are speaking of Cali and maybe NYC, Boston other very large areas, it's not that way in Denver, and that is not the norm for most of the country.

 

[Mac]

Conarb's proposal to transfer public tax money to the 'private sector'? Bet that works out great!