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London’s Entire Fire Force Threatened With Firing
JOHN MILLINGTON
Morning Star
London's entire firefighting force have been told they'll be sacked if they refuse to go along with cuts to night cover.
The capital's 5,000 firefighters were given 90 days' notice on Wednesday night by the London Fire Authority.
It wants to impose drastically altered shifts with longer days and shorter nights which unions warn will leave fewer fire engines and staff protecting the capital.
London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson wrote to the government and Fire Brigades Union (FBU) leader Matt Wrack to tell them the authority was opening consultation on "terminating the contracts of these staff and offering to re-engage them on new contracts of employment."
But the FBU accused the authority of behaving like "Victorian mill owners" and Mr Wrack insisted his union would "fight the disgraceful attack every step of the way."
The union also raised fears that bosses would retaliate against any industrial action with a strike-breaking "dad's army."
London FBU executive council member Ian Leahair said members will be balloted for action short of strike immediately, with the possibility of a city-wide strike at the end of October if the authority does not rescind its threat.
During the last major firefighters' dispute in 2002-3, the strikers were covered by soldiers using the ageing Green Goddess appliances, which have since been retired.
But this time, Mr Leahair said, the authority planned to call on privateer Assetco - which leases fire engines to the London Fire Brigade - to "roll out the red fire engines" crewed by a "dad's army of retained firefighters and security contractors" given only three weeks' training.
Mr Dobson delivered the ultimatum amid negotiations with the FBU on the fire authority's plan to change the shift pattern from two nine-hour days and two 15-hour nights to a flat 12-hour shift.
Mr Wrack was bemused by the decision to provoke firefighters while talks were still going on.
"We and the principal management of the London Fire Brigade do have a real disagreement about the way forward in difficult economic times, but until yesterday we were talking about it constructively, and I hoped to reach an agreement both sides could live with," said the FBU leader.
"The chances of that agreement have diminished dramatically this morning."
The negotiations had already been put under immense strain in the last few months.
In March a leaked document put the lie to bosses' claims that the shift changes were not about cutting night cover.
It said the scheme would offer "a capability to withdraw personnel from night shift" and "the removal of 10 appliances."
And last month Mr Dobson let slip on his blog that he would seek "termination of employment" for all London firefighters if there was not a "negotiated settlement."
Mr Leahair said: "This coalition government is totally hell bent on breaking the public sector to benefit the private sector.
"The FBU urge the fire authority to think again and withdraw the threats of mass sackings and get back round the table to avert any unnecessary industrial action."
Copyright 2010 People's Press Printing Society Ltd
All Rights Reserved
August 13, 2010
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by James Sage on
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When fire is cried and danger is neigh,
"God and the firemen" is the people's cry;
But when 'tis out and all things righted,
God is forgotten and the firemen slighted.
~Author unknown, from The Fireman's Journal, 18 Oct 1879
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Permalink Reply by Ron Ayotte on
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Unbefrackinglieveable!
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Permalink Reply by Ryan Dussia on
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I can't believe they are allowed to go on strike by law!
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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The medicine side was nationalised many, many years ago and at least everyone has full medical cover there. But this? It's a move from the new very right-wing government.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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London's entire firefighting force have been told they'll be sacked if they refuse to go along with cuts to night cover
Nice knee jerk reaction....so how do you turn over an entire dept then...how much money would that cost to train new personnel? Nice UNthoughtout, moronic, proposal.
Ohh, this is their "solution"
During the last major firefighters' dispute in 2002-3, the strikers were covered by soldiers using the ageing Green Goddess appliances, which have since been retired.
Sure, call in the military....I guess it doesn't help that they are still being used on two war fronts as well. Please don't think about the impact that will have on the military. Morons.
It wants to impose drastically altered shifts with longer days and shorter nights
Great, now the next step is to ensure the fire knows to ONLY burn during the daytime.....you know, work like the rest of the 9 to 5ers. Although, last time I checked, fire doesn't like to play by set rules, it does what it wants to.
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Permalink Reply by Vic Silverfish on
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Tony - Don't worry about American's perception of national health care. I just came back from the US, and I have no idea where they get the horror stories about the rest of the world's health care. Actually, I have a pretty good idea (the opposition party and Fox News)
I'll stick with the Australian system, thank you very much!
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"how much money would that cost to train new personnel" - they know that most of the 'sacked' firefighters will sign up again under the new contract, now expensive training.
" Sure, call in the military" - the Army have advised already that they will not be able to provide that sort of support, being already stretched for overseas duty. Not needed either, all the London Fire Brigade vehicles are owned by a private company and leased, that private company has also been highed to train up an emergecny force of firefighters, being a security company they have trained those security people as 'firfighters' (very brief training period and no live experience). A partially trained force of strike breakers, I'm glad they won't be supporting me at any fires.
As for the night calls? Well, we all know that house fires don't happen at night don't we? So of course there is only the need for half the normal crews to be available. I'm glad I'm not living in London now.
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Permalink Reply by Wayne Curtis on
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Poor guys, how much would they bitch if they worked a 24 hour shift like most Fire Departments, there are guys that would kill to work a 12 hour shift. And they want to go on strike if they cant get there way, did they forgot that they protect life and property not collect garbage
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Poor guys, how much would they bitch if they worked a 24 hour shift like most Fire Departments, there are guys that would kill to work a 12 hour shift. And they want to go on strike if they cant get there way, did they forgot that they protect life and property not collect garbage
Wayne are you even reading the same article? This is not about the LFB looking to strike because of a 12 hour shift, the issue is management looking to make cuts to night hours and reducing protection.
It wants to impose drastically altered shifts with longer days and shorter nights which unions warn will leave fewer fire engines and staff protecting the capital.
The other problem is that management is stiff arming and bullying negotions by threatning jobs in the middle of negotiations. Management threatened to fire all LFB personnel if they did not bow to their terms.
London's entire firefighting force have been told they'll be sacked if they refuse to go along with cuts to night cover.
And they want to go on strike if they cant get there way, did they forgot that they protect life and property not collect garbage
Perhaps your viewpoint is only against the firefighters here and are turning a blind eye to the management responsibility here. Is it also not the city's responsibility to provide a service protecting the same life and property?
And then you have people questioning as to why there are still unions in the U.S. here and if there is a need for them. Looking at examples like this is absolutely the reason for unions and why they are around.
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