Volunteer firefighters (Bombeiros Voluntários) from various fire stations delivered a resolution to the Secretary of State for Civil Protection in Lisbon today, requesting the creation of a career path for the profession.
Around 30 people gathered outside the Ministry of Internal Administration – which includes the State Secretariat for Civil Protection – to demand – in addition to the creation of a career path – salary increases and for the profession be recognised as one of rapid burnout.
Participants in the rally, called by the Union of Local Administration Workers (STAL), approved a resolution containing their demands, which was delivered by a group of four to the State Secretariat.
“The absence of a career path for these professionals and a specific legal framework creates inequalities between professionals who perform the same functions in different corporations,” read the resolution submitted.
Speaking to Lusa, STAL national leader, Joaquim Sousa, explained that these inequalities exist because, currently, volunteer firefighters “do not have progression throughout their professional lives, they do not have a career path, and their careers vary according to the needs and decision-making power of each of the boards of directors of the humanitarian firefighting associations (fire stations).”
Giving an example, Joaquim Sousa explained that in some fire stations there are firefighter career paths of 1st, 2nd or 3rd class, while in others the positions are those of driver or control center operator, with no standardisation.
According to the resolution, it is essential for volunteer firefighters to have a professional career path with a “hierarchical structure, rules for progression, length of service, and a specific pay scale,” he said.
These workers have been waiting for a path to be regulated since 2007, Sousa added – stressing that the delivery of the resolution today was also intended to press the government into coming up a proposal which could become the basis of a negotiation process.
Source: LUSA
