Alagoas firefighters denounce cut in overtime pay for voluntary service

This Wednesday, the 27th, professionals from the Alagoas Fire Department took a courageous step by publicly denouncing the non-payment of paid voluntary service. According to the complaint, the firefighters were surprised when they checked their paychecks and found that the amount received was lower than expected. Paid voluntary service consists of carrying out extra activities on the military’s days off, and many of them depend on this money to supplement their income and cover basic expenses.

The financial impact for firefighters is significant, reaching almost half a minimum wage cut in monthly income. Many of them use this money to pay essential bills, such as water, electricity and credit cards. The lack of prior notice about the reduction in overtime payments caused outrage and questions among professionals, who now have to deal with the uncertainty of when they will receive the amounts due.

Furthermore, the complaint points out that, in the last two months, the Fire Department has exceeded the spending limit allocated to overtime, resulting in these hours being cut for some soldiers. The amounts relating to the extraordinary service were not transferred by the State Secretariat for Planning and Management (Seplag) in a sufficient way to cover all professionals involved. The lack of transparency and explanation on the part of the competent authorities has generated dissatisfaction and concern among the affected firefighters.

To date, both the Fire Department and Seplag have not publicly commented on the case, leaving professionals in a delicate situation with no expected resolution. The lack of dialogue and respect with these professionals who risk their lives daily to protect the population is alarming and deserves attention from the responsible authorities. Firefighters are anxiously awaiting an official position and the regularization of outstanding payments to ensure the continuity of their essential services to the Alagoas community.