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London Fire Brigade Votes To Strike
JOHN MILLINGTON
Morning Star
London firefighters voted by an overwhelming 79 per cent for strike action yesterday after being threatened with the sack and re-employment on inferior contracts.
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The huge Yes vote for strike was backed up by an equally impressive 79 per cent turnout of members in the ballot.
After receiving ultimatums from London Fire Brigade bosses and London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority chairman Brian Coleman that they would be all be sacked and re-employed on inferior contracts, their union the FBU has given bosses until today to withdraw the notice letters.
FBU general secretary Matt Wrack insisted that his members "hated" going on strike but that "they hated being bullied even more.
"This vote demonstrates that London firefighters will fight these mass sackings every step of the way.
"The London Fire Brigade now needs to lift the sacking notices and start negotiating properly," he said, urging London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson to do "the sensible thing" and get back to negotiations with the union.
"We are holding off announcing strike dates for 24 hours in order to give the London Fire Brigade a last chance to do the sensible thing and withdraw the letters of dismissal so we can return to negotiating on the question of shift patterns," he said.
"I hope that, even at this late stage, commissioner Ron Dobson will do the sensible thing so that we can get round a table with him and sort out our differences over shift patterns without a gun being held to our heads."
But Mr Dobson appeared unmoved by the FBU members' declaration, saying: "Our contingency plans will of course now move forward to ensure the capital is protected during any period of strike action by the FBU."
Mr Coleman added: "It's disappointing and saddening that the only losers in all of this will be firefighters.
"A strike by the FBU will be unnecessary, unjustified and viewed unsympathetically by Londoners. This dispute centres on proposed changes to make people safer."
The overwhelming FBU vote creates the possibility for mass disruption in the capital with the likelihood of co-ordinated action between firefighters, RMT and TSSA on London Underground.
Copyright 2010 People's Press Printing Society Ltd
All Rights Reserved
October 15, 2010
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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Good luck to the LFB members in this fight.
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Permalink Reply by Gregory Borg on
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This is huge for the British fire service, if management wins they all lose everything they have fought for. Good luck Brothers.
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Permalink Reply by Fabulous Heather Days of Summer on
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Mr Coleman added: "It's disappointing and saddening that the only losers in all of this will be firefighters.
the losers...
ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WILL NOT BE GETTING FIRE SERVICES... during the strike
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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More info????
Specifically what are the changes? Obviosuly the hours of work are changing, but to what?
Why are they striking? Is it because their pay will be affected? Or do they think the proposed changes are dangerous to either themselves or the public?
A walkout of any kind in the Public Safety arena MUST be a last resort. There's other options that don't have the same impact on the community, but can put strain on the organisation. An example may be a "paperwork strike" where no operational forms or paperwork are completed by any members- this mean no billing, no insurance claims, etc for the org.
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Specifically what are the changes? Obviosuly the hours of work are changing, but to what?
Luke, this also discusses the issue.
http://www.firefighternation.com/xn/detail/889755:Topic:4756259
Why are they striking? Is it because their pay will be affected? Or do they think the proposed changes are dangerous to either themselves or the public?
When looking at things, management here is trying to stiff arm the union into making changes to wages, hours, and working condidtions, which are and should be bargained. Instead of looking to bargain the effects, the management of the LFB created an ultimatum that either the work hours are reduced or everyone on the dept is fired and new, inferior contracts are imposed, which is the wrong approach.
Now the changes may not seem all that big of a difference, but despite populations at night diminishing from daytime capacity, doesn't mean the threat of fires goes down. With reduced staffing of any kind, any time, or in any shape, it most definately is a danger to the public and firefighters alike.
A walkout of any kind in the Public Safety arena MUST be a last resort
Which in this case IS a last resort.
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Permalink Reply by Anthony McNulty on
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Good luck LFB...wish we could help from across the pond.
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