The British government has reversed a decision to cut volunteer pay in the Coast Guard.
As Afloat has reported, the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) wanted to cut the training fee of 11 pound sterling an hour for some 3,500 volunteers.
However, it faced a backlash when up to half said they would suit the service or reduce their hours if it went ahead.
The Times UK newspaper reports that the MCA wanted to bring in a system entitling volunteers only to some compensation, including for training, equipment and operational support, as well as uniforms, personal protective equipment and expenses.
It reports that this followed a Court of Appeal ruling in January that forced the government to accept that the 3,500 rescue officers, known as “volunteers”, were paid emergency workers when attending callouts.
It would have meant they were entitled to certain employment rights, including the national minimum wage, paid holiday and protection against unlawful discrimination.
British Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Transport Keir Mather told MPs in the House of Commons last week that “we want to ensure coastguard rescue officers are treated with dignity and respect and they are empowered to carry out their incredible duties that they do”.
“Having listened to the testimonies of coastguard rescue officers I can confirm that the plan to move to the expenses-only volunteer model in September will not go ahead and the current arrangements will remain in place,”he said.
Mather said that the MCA would carry out “further engagement” with trade unions, coastguard rescue officers and MPs to inform any future changes to the role.
A poll by the MCA had shown that almost no officers from the 18 geographic regions believed stripping payments would improve the service,
MCA chief executive Virginia McVea had previously told MPs that the vast majority of coastguard rescue officers supported the plan to end the £11-an-hour payments.
Read The Times UK here (subscription required)
