By Janice Burns and Stephen Stewart
The Daily Record
ABERDEEN, Scotland — Nine bosses at Scotland’s biggest fire brigade have “retired” with more than pounds 1.5million in pension cash — then gone back to work.
The Record told last year how Strathclyde fire chief Brian Sweeney returned to his pounds 150,000 job after “retiring” with a pounds 500,000 pension payout.
And today, we can reveal that eight other senior figures at the brigade have enjoyed similar deals in the past 12 months.
An area commander, two group commanders and five watch commanders were re-employed after receiving pension payments.
Union leaders are furious over the deals.
David Smith, 50, got about pounds 200,000. Group commanders John Hooper and George Lindsay received about pounds 150,000 each and the watch commanders got around pounds 100,000 each.
They returned to work with different job titles but union leaders say they are effectively doing the same as before.
Public spending watchdogs are already investigating Sweeney’s payout, and furious firefighters’ leaders say its time for such deals to stop.
Roddie Robertson the Fire Brigades Union told the Record that, by returning to work, the bosses were robbing recruits of the chance to join the service and denying senior firefighter promotion.
He said: “There youngsters desperate firefighters who can’t get in — for the simple reason that we are paying a pension and a wage to someone.
“When someone is getting a pension, why the hell should they be keeping someone out of a job as well? “It’s a nice wee game for them. It’s a win, win win situation for these big bosses.
“This really grates on firefighters. They don’t even get a quarter of what these guys are paid and they’ve had a pay freeze for the last three years.”
Robertson said the senior officers were pocketing lump sums and returning to work with “an instant 11 per cent pay rise” because they no longer paid pension contributions.
He said the bosses were getting pensions equivalent to half their salaries, with the brigade bringing them up to full wage by paying the other half.
And he added: “The brigade will argue they are saving money because they are only paying half their wages. But it’s still money coming out of the service that would be better blood.” firefighter said: outrageous the service being cut to bone and front-line firefighters are being treated with contempt.
The Accounts Commission for Scotland announced in February that they had asked Strathclyde’s fire board to explain the deal given to Sweeney.
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said: “Re-employing staff who have retired is common in fire services across the U.K.”
A spokesman said the “knowledge and experience” of such senior staff helped to “build the skills base” of firefighters and “maintain high standards”.
Copyright 2012 Scottish Daily Record & Sunday Mail Ltd.