[quote=pri_dk]
What most of us are saying is that much or their compensation is in other “hidden” forms, such as access to liberal overtime policies and extremely generous pensions. [/quote]
They often have to work overtime. Doesn’t mean they WANT to. That comes w/the job, like it or not. I’m sure many would rather go surf or do whatever hobby it is a normal person does. They do not have that option. Forced working overtime is not a plus or benefit. They don’t have a choice. Well, I suppose they can quit or get fired. But they can’t just say, “No, I don’t want to work overtime to put out that fire or take down some criminals or find a rape suspect.” They have to sacrifice personal enjoyment to work. How the hell is that a benefit? Great if you don’t want to have a life.
[quote=pri_dk]
We are also saying that the curve is incredibly steep – their compensation grows *much* faster than comparable professions, and after just twenty years many firefighters get a retirement package that essentially makes them multi-millionaires. [/quote]
I wouldn’t say the average fireman retires a multi-millionaire. That’s a stretch.
[quote=pri_dk]
But the MAIN point of what we are saying is that firefighter salaries seem to be exempt from the basic laws of supply and demand. It’s very simple:
Any job with backlog of applicants and a two-year waiting list pays more than the job requirements demand. [/quote]
Again, this waiting list is probably so b/c of the fact there is a pension.
Heck, at this point I’m thinking people want to sign up b/c of the lies about what a great job it is. But as I said, how many of these people would want to do that job w/out the pension benefit? Take away the benefits and how many would stay when they can double their income doing a bubble job? Something tells me that long list of people wanting to sign up would shrink. And something tells me that the first bubble that comes along, they would have quite a few vacancies to fill were it not for a pension dangling over their heads.
