Alec Caldwell
Part 2: Firefighters in Construction
Canadian Contractor Business canada Liability ProfessionalFirefighters in Ajax, Ont. have been awarded the right to work 24-hour shifts. On their significant days off, they will have lots of time to run their home renovation businesses on the side.
In my first article on Firefighters in Construction (Jan. 22), I started off saying the following:
“I’m sure some of you have spotted them up on roofs or ladders, installing shingles or doing other renovation work on their days off. Increasingly, this is a hobby or a side business for many firefighters… Yes, it’s a free world and competition is good, but…” That article got a lot of response – 43 comments in all. Many contractors wrote to say that they objected to having to compete against public servants moonlighting on cash jobs.
It’s now very possible you’ll see more firefighters in construction, if Ajax, Ont. gets its way and a new trend spreads across Canada and the USA. It’s 24-hour firefighter shifts, which leave firefighters more off time for their favorite hobbies. A big one, it seems, is construction, particularly home renovations!
An arbitrator in Ajax awarded firefighters the right to work 24-hour shifts. In this ruling, the Ajax Professional Firefighters Association says a two-year trial period is reasonable to test this new work schedule.
Currently shifts are 10/14, meaning a rotation of 10-hour day shifts and 14-hour night shifts over a 28-day cycle. The arbitration ruling offers a green light to work a certain number of 24-hour shifts over seven days. “Essentially it’s a healthier shift for us to work,” says Mark Somerville, president of the Ajax association. He dismissed the argument that a 24-hour shift would be unsafe.
The Town of Ajax is still fighting this change, which they say exposes the town to more liability. The town is taking the firefighters to court, but Mark Mason, who is representing Ajax in the court battle says the town probably has only a 50 per cent chance of a win.
Keep your eyes open. It may be coming soon to your region: 24-hour construction and home renovations at lower prices, completed in half the time!
CARAHS is a non profit association for renovators and home services providers. We offer education, information and benefits.
CARAHS offers over 70 Health and Safety e-courses online here.
Toll free 1-866-366-2930 www.carahs.org
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I thought I’d share this first incoming comment with your readers:
“What is your problem with this……I was a F/F and worked 24 on..24 off. Thats the way we were set up and it worked out just fine. Not everyone worked a second job on there days off, and for those who did it was so they could make a decent living of a little extra for their needs or wants. Your complaint that they are working and making it unfair to others in construction is just bogus. And then the idea that al contractors and construction is going to turn into 24on/24off schedules is bogus as well. If your complaint is that those guys are working 2 jobs, maybe they need to get paid more for the primary one(which is more dangerous)so they dont have to do a second one. And if your worried about them being to tired after going a full shift, unless they are up all night on runs they will be just as ready as anyone else.
So, sorry Alec, this is a bogus complaint in my book. Want to know how life works for them, spend a few weeks working their job. Maybe, just maybe, you might see things from a different view…then again, maybe not….”
Comment posted on Contractor Talk LinkedIn by: Matthew Saliger
Matt,I disagree with your sentiments,first of all you are well paid and receive many benefits,in your line of work
A full time contractor can not compete with part timers,most who do not have workers comp,do cash jobs,and do part time work.
For a contractor to be sucesfull,he/ she needs to conform to all regulations,etc. they can not compete with part timers
I have no issue with your comments,about how life works,except to say many people would love to have your job and benefits.
In the real world,most of us have issues with our jobs,you are not unique in that regard.
It’s not the 2nd job that I have a problem with . It’s the cash only aspect of the 2nd job. All the firemen I know will only work cash side jobs. We have to pay taxes ,some of which pays their way and they need a new prop for the boat or a trip to Mexico.
Mathew, you can’t kick your trash to the other side of the street and stand back and say “problem solved”. Nobody should be breaking the law. If you break a law, or several laws, which have a near zero prosecution rate…you’re still breaking the law.
The law says we should all be playing on a level surface field.
For example, I can’t go running into burning buildings and bill the City for my services until I have demonstrated compliance with the governing bodies that decide whether I can or cannot be employed as a Fire Fighter.
Therein, you have job security…at least to some measure.
Likewise, you can’t go running around selling your construction services to the general public until you demonstrate compliance with the governing bodies. And once all of that is done, you have to pay your taxes and your CPP, and EI, and your WSIB, and your insurances, and licenses, and permits, and so on.
Get the message…we don’t want you, your buddies, your buddies’ buddies or anyone else who can’t play by the same rules in our industry. You’re never going to stop hearing us complain until you all get out and stay out.
Because just like how the world is a better place because there are real life properly trained, educated, approved, governed and compliant Fire Fighters out there taking care of that aspect of a well run society…likewise the world will be a better place when every Citizen who competes in the marketplace has the duty and obligation to do so according to the rules and standards of their Province and Government.
Then we’ll see who the market decides will/won’t be working.
What your supporters are espousing, is a race to the bottom. Undercutting each other by bypassing regulations. The image of a leech comes to mind.
Perhaps I can provide some clarity to this. The article is correct in that firefighters are seeking the 24 hour shift. The article is incorrect in that it does not provide even a single minute of extra time off. The 10/14 hour work schedule is based on a 42 hour work week. The 24 hour work schedule is based on a 42 hour work week. 42 hours per week is 42 hours per week. It’s equates to exactly the same number of day and night shifts in a year. As for working second jobs, the hours worked on the 24 hour shift have nothing to do with the ability to work an additional job. In fact, typically the 24 hour shift is less ideal for second employment. As you can see by the actual math, it makes no sense for a firefighter to seek the 24 hour shift for the purpose of more time off because there is no additional time off. The shift is sought for reasons of improved health, eliminating successive night shifts and therefore reducing cumulative fatigue. The working of a second job will always be at the discretion of any individual. Not unlike a contractor who, while only having one job, may choose to work an 80 hour week to secure more business? I how this provides some clarity to the 24 hour shift misconceptions.
I have no problem with a Firefighter working a second job if needed. What I do have a problem with are people who do the second job for CASH. It also means you are probably not insured against damages, paying no business tax, WSIB so now you are being unfair to the others who play fair running a legitimate business and paying all the Government taxes. this also hurts our economy. I’m not saying you all do it under the table but some do. Lets face it, if I make a great income at my main job and work on the side legitimately, I would be paying more tax than it’s worth.
All I can say to all business people who feel their turf is being pilvidged by a side liner, keep the Ministry of Labours phone number handy and call it in. If they have no WSIB clearence or helpers without it, they will get fined dearly. Also keep in mind that an ililgitamite contractor is not doing the client any favours by saving some cash. If his helper gets seriously injured on the job, the liability falls back on the home or business owner. Now that cash job just cost you a fortune.
In reply Re 5th November comment:
Hi Matthew,
I really appreciate your reply and your feed back. I’m not against firemen and anyone choosing to work 24 hour shifts. That decision is for each individual to make themselves and is not my business. What I’m against, as I said in my January 2013 article called” Firefighters in Construction (linked from my current article) that everyone follow current laws. Here’s an excerpt for my article where I said:
“Yes, it’s a free world and competition is good, but are these firefighters working under the same set of rules and regulation the rest of us mere mortals? Legitimate renovation business owners have to contend with increasingly burdensome government regulations, be it mandatory WSIB on everyone in Ontario, including the self-employed (who used to be exempt), or be it the new Ontario College of Trades with their mandatory fees levied against certain trades”
Further Matthew below are two replies from firemen from my article on January 2013. They like you know “how life works for them, spend a few weeks working their job” as you said. What I write is not bogus but are facts!
These 2 firefighters said:
“I am on the board of a large fire department. The problem is 2 fold, from the fire dept.’s perspective if a man injures himself on the renovation job it is likely to become a claim under the Fire Dept coverage. It is just to easy to claim the back injury came during fire fighting duties. Most of the time they are doing the side jobs for cash and don’t carry the proper insurances. That provides an unfair competitive advantage. Finally, I wonder how much of the income is reported. So, in summary, if they start an official business, buy insurance, report the taxes, etc I say welcome to the business world. If they are the others who don’t, I say a pox upon them” Comment from Carl at the National Association of the Remodelling Industry (NARI) LinkedIn groups
“I am both a full time firefighter and a contractor and I agree with much of what has been said on this matter. As a licensed Carpenter (Inter Provincial – Red Seal) and a registered builder, I have provided many full time apprenticeship opportunities for others joining the construction trade over the years. I pay my dues to our construction trade association, to WSIB, to TARION, I hire only licensed trades who can provide me with WSIB certificates, I pay the payroll taxes for my employees and provide them a high level of training and perhaps most importantly, I pay my taxes, never working for cash! ” Comment from Ray Millar on the Canadian Contractor February 1, 2013
Thanks to firefighters I picked up two more contracts. They have no idea when it comes to renovations and I have been called in to re-do one basement and a roof w/skylight on another. Just because someone can lay one board beside another or one shingle on top of another, doesn’t make them a roofer or a Licensed Carpenter. I don’t fight fires to make extra money, so stop taking cash jobs and undercutting legitimate contractors, whose taxes pay your salaries. jmho.
Just because a guy has seen it done before or read a tutorial on the installation does not mean he can do the job correctly with the proper materials and compliant with all local codes. Yes of course he can do it cheaper because as Gary stated “the firefighter/backyard handyman guy doesn’t have any of the operating costs of running a legitimate business (training, building lease/mortgage, vehicles, maintenance, inventory, licensing, & insurance costs) just to name a few. Every dollar “Joe Handyman” make goes straight into his pocket – no taxes, no overhead – pretty sweet deal for a guy who’s making close to $70 000 annually at his day job.
I too have to quote against some of these guys & they can greatly under value the service & waste a bunch of everybody’s time & money, but I have learned to fully explain the difference between a qualified contractor & a backyard handyman to my customers or potential customers so they can make their own informed decision. At the end of the day they often go with the qualified contractor and even if they don’t, they are almost sure to call you anyway to clean up the mess, bring to code, make work properly, or complete the job that the Handyman didn’t do.
I’m a little confused by this article, is it against firefighters working part time jobs, or against Anyone working for cash. By which a few of those cash jobs were performed by firefighters and not other tradesmen working around tax laws to make extra cash? I know mechanics and other trade workers who do cash jobs on weekends, because they are working in their own trade is there then no issue that they are taking jobs from contractors working within the law?
I am a fire fighter, I also work P/t with EMS. I have hired firefighters to work on my house. That being said I only hire ones that are registered and insured. I would rather work extra in a trade I am trained in and pay for renovations then tackle them myself. I will also not put my house and family at risk having to pay for injuries that may happen on my property.
Would your efforts not be better placed educating the public that any cash job can put someone’s house and financial security at risk no matter who performs the work?
I am a fully legit contractor 23 years in business with all the items req. to ply my trade. The Gov. once sent me a letter requesting that I turn in anyone working in the underground economy. All my work is above board and that’s where it will stay. That’s how you stay in business. Thus I don’t know anybody in the underground economy but if I wanted something done under the table I know exactly who to call, the fire department. No disrespect intended to firemen doing what they do best. Personally the side job part of it doesn’t bother me, I am hired for the work I do well and don’t need to compete with handymen. My competition is always with legitimate tradesmen. What gets my goat is that the Gov. is fully aware of the very large underground base in the fire departments and I have never heard of them researching this. I suspect it would not be a popular thing to do politically speaking. .
I worked on getting the 24 hour shift for firefighters in Toronto and do not work on the side. There are some guys who are working construction on the side, but over time you will see less and less of them. One reason is that in the past, a lot of guys who became firefighters were already tradesmen before getting on the fire department (knowledge that comes in really handy at a fire). The other is that new hires usually have to go to firefighting colleges for a year, so less and less tradesmen as firefighters. But as a sidenote, the most resistance to a change to the 24 hour shift came from firefighters who were in construction. That was because on the old shift you could actually be on a jobsite during the day for 3 straight weeks. Problem was that some guys would come in dead tired for the night shift after working construction during the day, That was a big concern if you had a busy night of firecalls, putting other guys at risk. Now on the 24 you show up in the morning and are there for the full day.
As for competing for contracts, the guys that work full time in the fire department and are serious contractors, work on small jobs. As for the cash jobs, I know a lot of full time contractors that insist on working for cash. So let’s not paint everyone with the same brush.
This problem isn’t limited to firemen working part time jobs, there are plenty of ‘real’ contractors who cause a bad name for contractors as well. We recently had a new home built, all done by full-time ‘real’ contractors….what an absolute mess. We have been over two years trying to get all the issues fixed, from ‘forgetting’ to insulate the rear wall of the house, plumbing issues, and buried electrical, all done by ‘legitimate’ full time contractors. I don’t care if it is a fireman doing a part time job or a full time contractor, but if you do a good job at a fair price, and are a legitimate contractor (certified, insurance, etc) then you will have lots of work. If you are having trouble competing then you need to look at your business model perhaps. This is the same in every industry, I am a firefighter and have a professional photography company (fully licensed and always abide by proper permitting), there is always someone trying to underbid and do things on the cheap. Eventually though word gets out and they go out of business while we maintain a profitable business that is operating legally and ethically