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Post Info TOPIC: Canadian firefighters Banned From Working Extra Shifts to Help Coworker
Lady Gaga Snerd


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Canadian firefighters Banned From Working Extra Shifts to Help Coworker
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Canadian firefighters spend seven months working their cancer-stricken colleague's shifts so he can receive full pay while undergoing treatment - only to be told by officials they can no longer cover for him

  • Tanner Brotzel was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma last December
  • His firefighter colleagues made selfless decision to cover his work shifts 
  • For seven months, they worked extra shifts so he could receive full pay while undergoing grueling cancer treatment and resting with his family
  • But now, officials in Regina, Canda, have said they can no longer do this
  • Fire Chief Ernie Polsom said Brotzel may not be able to access his full disability benefits if his colleagues continue to work his shifts for him
  • He said that applying for long-term disability is best option for firefighter 

By Sophie Jane Evans For Dailymail.com

Published: 00:04 EST, 2 August 2015 | Updated: 04:32 EST, 2 August 2015

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When they found out their colleague had cancer, one fire crew made an extraordinary decision.

The firefighters in Saskatchewan, Canada, started pitching in to cover Tanner Brotzel's shifts so he could undergo life-saving treatment and rest at home - while still receiving his full pay and benefits.

But now, seven months on, the men's selfless actions have been brought to an abrupt halt after officials in the province's capital city of Regina told them they could no longer work for Brotzel.

Instead, Regina Fire and Protective Services reportedly said that Brotzel - who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma last December - must either return to work or apply for long-term disability.

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Extraordinary decision: When firefighter Tanner Brotzel (pictured, front) was diagnosed with cancer last year, his colleagues started pitching in to his shifts so he could undergo treatment while still receiving full pay
 
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Extraordinary decision: When firefighter Tanner Brotzel (pictured, front) was diagnosed with cancer last year, his colleagues started pitching in to his shifts so he could undergo treatment while still receiving full pay

Cancer-stricken: But now, seven months on, the men's selfless actions have been brought to an abrupt halt after officials in Regina, Canada, told them they could no longer work for Brotzel (pictured with his niece)
 
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Cancer-stricken: But now, seven months on, the men's selfless actions have been brought to an abrupt halt after officials in Regina, Canada, told them they could no longer work for Brotzel (pictured with his niece)

In the latter case, Brotzel's disability benefits would apparently cover only a fraction of his pay - when they kicked in. Therefore, the cancer-stricken firefighter has decided to go back to work.

 

'We were notified this process would no longer happen. No more replacements. He would have to go on long-term disability or come back to work,' Brian Seidlik, Brotzel's platoon captain, told CTV.

'Unfortunately, he is coming back to work.'

In an interview with CBC, Seidlik added: 'A guy that I started with 32 years ago said that this is the first time he has been embarrassed to say that he's a firefighter, because of this action.'

Brotzel, a passionate firefighter and an active sportsman, was devastated when he was diagnosed with cancer last year and told he must undergo grueling chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

Shortly after, he informed his platoon of his diagnosis.

Unbeknownst to him, his colleagues then held a meeting in the fire hall and made a decision that would make their lives harder - but would make a massive, and incredible, difference to his. 

Frustrated: 'We were notified this process would no longer happen. No more replacements. He would have to go on long-term disability or come back to work,' Brian Seidlik (above), Brotzel's platoon captain, told CTV
 
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Frustrated: 'We were notified this process would no longer happen. No more replacements. He would have to go on long-term disability or come back to work,' Brian Seidlik (above), Brotzel's platoon captain, told CTV

Fire Chief Ernie Polsom (pictured) warned that Brotzel may not be able to access his full disability benefits if his colleagues continue to work his shifts for him
 
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The firefighter is pictured with his youngest niece
 
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Putting a stop to it: Fire Chief Ernie Polsom (left) warned that Brotzel (pictured, right, with his youngest niece) may not be able to access his full disability benefits if his colleagues continue to work his shifts for him

'The members sat down and decided that they would work for him, and approached Tanner and said, 'Don't worry about it Tanner. We've got your shifts covered.' said Seidlik, who is also the president of the Regina Professional Fire Fighters Association, which has around 280 members.

'And Tanner said "That's the best thing that could ever happen",' he added.

Speaking to CBC himself, Brotzel described his colleagues' decision as 'unbelievable'.

'I don't know if I'll ever be able to make it up to everybody,' he said.

For the next seven months, members of Brotzel's platoon pitched in to cover his shifts, enabling the firefighter to undergo cancer treatment and spend time with his family while receiving full pay.

The platoon felt this was a better option than Brotzel applying for long-term disability - because, according to Seidlik, the benefits could take months to kick in and would be less than his full pay.

Devoted uncle: The firefighters felt that covering Brotzel's shifts was a better option than their colleague (pictured with his niece) applying for long-term disability - because the benefits could take months to kick in
 
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Devoted uncle: The firefighters felt that covering Brotzel's shifts was a better option than their colleague (pictured with his niece) applying for long-term disability - because the benefits could take months to kick in

Fire station: Brozel works as a firefighter in Regina in Saskatchewan. Above, one of the city's three stations
 
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Fire station: Brozel works as a firefighter in Regina in Saskatchewan. Above, one of the city's three stations

But the firefighters have now been told that they can no longer cover for Brotzel - with Fire Chief Ernie Polsom warning Brotzel may not be able to access his full benefits if they continue to do so.

Polsom told CBC that Brotzel - a devoted uncle to two little nieces - will find it more helpful in the long-run if he applies for the city's 'comprehensive health benefits' and uses them 'to their fullest'.

He said that Brotzel must apply for the benefits soon to be within time restrictions. If he fails to do so, he may have difficulty accessing other benefits in the future, should he need them, he said.

Polsom added that long-term disability conditions can be negotiated by the union and the employer. He did not comment on the fact that Brotzel has made the choice to return to his firefighting job.

A review is now apparently underway into how Brotzel's colleagues covered for him for so long.

There is a clause in the collective agreement allowing firefighters to cover colleagues' shifts like Brotzel's platoon have done. However, the clause was meant for 'short-term fixes', Polsom said.

 

Brotzel, who lives in Regina, formerly worked for Haztech Fire & Safety



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3182704/Canadian-firefighters-spend-seven-months-working-cancer-stricken-colleague-s-shifts-receive-pay-undergoing-treatment-told-officials-no-longer-cover-him.html#ixzz3hh0HdqEJ
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weltschmerz


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1) When an employee goes on long term disability, he collects 65% of his GROSS pay, not the net, and it's not taxable. The money would be close to his salary.
2) If he fails to go on disability, it will affect him adversely if his cancer returns, and he may have trouble collecting it later if he needs it.
3) Firefighting is a physically exhausting job and if the other firefighters are tired, it will affect them and the general public negatively.
4) As per the Collective Bargaining Agreement, all vacant positions must be posted, even if temporary. Failure to post as per the CBA could result in a lawsuit from the person who was next in line to get a job and it would have cost the Fire Department a great deal of money.


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Lady Gaga Snerd


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Of course. The govt dictates ALL.

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weltschmerz


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There is a difference between government and unions. It was a Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Learn the difference.

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Lady Gaga Snerd


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There isn't much difference. Another group with protections trying to hold people over a barrel.

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weltschmerz


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Your firefighters, unless it's a volunteer situation, are also unionized. Every group is responsible for their own collective agreements.
Socialism! Commies!



-- Edited by weltschmerz on Sunday 2nd of August 2015 06:07:31 PM

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Lady Gaga Snerd


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No they arent'. Our local firefighters are not union. You really dont' know as much about this country as you think you do.

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Southern_Belle


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No unions in my state either.

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weltschmerz


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I was off work for a year when I hurt my arm. I can't just get my friends to fill in for me. That would hardly be fair to the on-call employee who is waiting for full time, and needs to make more money.
I went on disability and I was fine. It was more than enough to live on. The person with less seniority got to work for a year.

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lilyofcourse


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No union here.



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weltschmerz


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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Association_of_Fire_Fighters

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) is a labor union representing professional firefighters in the United States and Canada. The IAFF was formed in 1918 and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO in the United States and the Canadian Labour Congress in Canada. The IAFF is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has some 300,000 members in more than 3,200 locals and affiliates in every U.S. state and in Canada.

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Ohfour


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Yes,the more liberal states have unions. Wisconsin just busted up the teachers union there. I live about 30 miles from one of the largest Nissan plants in North America. They voted down the UAW unions. There are some leftovers, but they are becoming less and less common. The firefighters in my county disbanded the union years ago....

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lilyofcourse


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Union came up for a vote at the less than 5 yr old Volkswagen plant in Cleveland.

The union doesn't go over well here in the south.


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