At 9:00 a.m. on Friday, November 22, some 51,000 firefighters walked out for the second in a series of planned strikes in pursuit of a 40 percent wage rise that will bring them up to £30,000 per annum. Fire fighters in Britain on strike interview summary, 2002 This is the summary of an interview Prol-Position made end of November 2002 with a firefighter from Belfast who is also a representative of the FBU (Fire Brigade Union). NO-STRIKE CLAUSE page 2 RIGHTS OF THE EMPLOyEE page 3 MISCELLANEOUS page 4 OTHER AGREEMENTS page 4 REPRESENTATION page 4 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE page 4-5 ... City of Trenton and Trenton Fire Fighters Union, 1999-2002 3. November 14, 2002, Section A, Page 14 Buy Reprints. The second national strike of firefighters in the union’s history was centred, as before, around the issue of pay.. LONDON, England -- Firefighters are due to vote on strike action that threatens to disrupt Britain's transport system and paralyse much of the country. A new workers party armed with a socialist programme must now be built. When the firefighters determined that they would seek a living wage of £30,000, this challenged the essential thrust of economic policy of the Labour government and their Conservative predecessors—the systematic redistribution of wealth away from the working class to a narrow wealthy elite at the very top of society. After the FBU judged a 16% compromise deal inadequate, the first eight-day strike began on November 22, 2002, introducing a few dozen more modern red fire engines rounded up … London Underground has threatened that employees refusing to work will not be paid, leading to the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union’s threat to ballot its members for strike action next week. LESLIE, Mich. (WILX) - A brush fire near a barn in Leslie grew into a tough-to-handle blaze on Wednesday afternoon. The parallels are obvious between Blair’s determination to take on the firefighters and Margaret Thatcher’s conflict with the National Union of Mineworkers that provoked the 1984-85 year-long strike. Cabinet ministers earn upwards of £124,979, while Blair is paid £171,554. No, this was 2002, when the firefighters took on the government in the biggest industrial clash for more than a decade. He called on delegates to keep backing only Labour Party candidates, warning, “If we support an independent or Socialist Alliance candidate we will be flung out of the Labour Party.”. The problem for the government is that their warnings of the impact of higher wages for all on the economy play better in the City of London and amongst their well-heeled mouthpieces in the media than amongst working people. 6pm on Wednesday 13 November 2002 saw the first national firefighter strike since 1977. This month marks the tenth anniversary of the second national firefighters strike, the legacy and impact of which has altered almost everything about the way fire and rescue services go about their work. John Monks, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, speaks openly of the government going to “war” with the firefighters, but is himself desperate for peace at any price, even if this means an agreement much less than the original demand and tied to major attacks on working conditions. 23 November 2002 It should now be clear to everyone that the eight-day strike by Britain’s firefighters has been deliberately provoked by the Labour government of … With Engine Co. 85 unavailable, Engine Co. … The government faces an enormous well of public anger, the extent of which it has not yet begun to understand. International Committee of the Fourth International. The government acts not out of strength, but out of weakness. Paying the firefighters what they are asking, much less the smaller figure that the FBU has made clear it is prepared to accept, would hardly break the treasury. I think they have lost sight of how most people live in Britain.”. The most that could be borrowed for a mortgage on a firefighters wage is around £70,000 and, like most families, they depend on a second income to survive. It has highlighted the growing popular disaffection with the pro-business policies pursued by Labour, which have had a devastating impact on workers’ livelihoods. From The Socialist newspaper, 22 November 2002. In both cases the respective governments aimed to prove to big business that they would not back down in face of popular opposition and were prepared to “take on the militants” and “union bully boys”, as the strikers are habitually referred to. Fire departments from multiple counties were called in to fight the fire. This requires a political struggle not only against Labour, which openly represents the class enemy, but also against the bureaucratic misleaders of the trade unions who act as the government’s fifth column. “I do not have a box of 19,000 [soldiers] standing by for such duties so they must come from operational duties,” he said. But Blair does enjoy one great advantage: whereas the government has proclaimed itself to be in an all-out war, the firefighters are led by a bureaucracy which has no such intention. The price of an average home in Britain is climbing towards £130,000. Army, Navy and RAF personnel manned their own emergency firefighting vehicles, including over 800 Green Goddesses, while picketing firefighters and control room operators watched on. But I’m not going to cross picket lines.”, Of greater significance was the warning made by Admiral Sir Michael Boyce, the chief of Britain’s defence staff, that a continuing strike by UK firefighters would seriously undermine possible military action against Iraq. High pay increases for top earners pulled up the average figure, so much so that the highest paid 2.5 percent of employees could not be charted because “to include everyone the chart would stretch a further 3 metres to the right.” But the bulk of working people were paid between £12,000 and £15,000. The 2002-2003 UK firefighter dispute began when the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), voted to take strike action in an attempt to secure a better salary. By Paul Child, FBU group chair for the Waltham Forest and Enfield stations. Firefighters threaten first national strike in 25 years, Northern Ireland firefighters warn of national strike, Blair warns of 'terrible damage' from firefighters' 40% pay claim, 'Constructive' talks - but fire strike still on, Strike threat rises as fire talks break up, Firefighters expected to call off eight-day strike, Hope of deal fades as both sides dig in for long war, Troops win praise for rescue after night of apprehension, Troops may be told to cross fire picket lines, Man, 86, dies in blaze half a mile from fire station, Andy Gilchrist: No return to master and servant, Police to act as Ministers quash hopes of fire deal, Gilchrist attacks government 'dishonesty', More strikes loom as peace talks collapse, Fire union chief pledges to topple New Labour, Success of troops will be used against firefighters, Night cover cuts could cost lives, says Gilchrist. The chairman of the employers negotiating team, Councillor Ted George, said that although a draft agreement had been reached with the FBU on a possible 16 percent package spaced over two years, they had not been able to identify funding sources. It is therefore vital that talks resume with the prospect of a pay award which fully reflects the contribution firefighters make to the safety of us all. It was the first nationwide firefighters' strike in the UK since the 1970s. Brown accused the firefighters of seeking an excessive claim in a time of economic uncertainty and Sir Edward George, Governor of the Bank of England, weighed in to warn that wage inflation driven by the threat of strikes could do immense damage to the economy. The FBU has enjoyed pointing out in response to the cries of outrage from MPs at a demand for a 40 percent pay rise that their own pay has risen by a similar percentage. with MSP included the State arson strike force unit, fire investigations, criminal enforcement, and the Fire Investigator ... safety laws and rules and for overseeing the training of fire fighters and inspectors as well as public fire education throughout the State. Over 3,000 people died in the attacks and rescue efforts. If notice is not The ballot result will be announced on the 18 October 2002, which means Professional Firefighters and Emergency Fire Control staff all over the United Kingdom, could begin the second ever national strike in the UK Fire Service as early as 25 October 2002. So grave were the implications of Labour’s threat to use the armed forces to cross picket lines that top military personnel publicly opposed such action being taken. Already, rail workers on the London Underground are refusing to work due to the threat to safety posed by the firefighters strike. The government was politically embarrassed, but has still refused to back down. ... Fire fighters on strike in London’s docklands during 2003. Writing in the Independent, columnist David Aaronovitch was more blunt: “Firefighters are not part of the low-pay culture. The pro-Tory press has naturally been almost hysterical in its denunciations, but the nominally liberal media agreed. THE LATE summer of 2002 saw the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) getting up a full head of steam to pursue a four-point pay claim with their local government employers. A quarter of a century ago Britain’s firefighters were also on strike against a Labour government in pursuit of a 30 percent pay rise to bring them up to the average wage in industry. However, even Thatcher felt she could only use the army covertly to strengthen police lines. In contrast, according to last year’s figures for average earnings, a bigger proportion of employees earned less than the average as compared with previous years. In contrast, the official workers movement has done nothing to mobilise opposition against the government. At a press conference Boyce said he was “extremely concerned” by the impact on military effectiveness of having troops used for firefighting. Since the Taylor Law’s enactment, several significant public sector strikes have taken place. That is why, while Blair and his backers clearly view the strike as a fundamental test of the government’s authority, other sections of the establishment are worried at what may be unleashed by a frontal assault on the firefighters—particularly at a time when Britain is about to embark on a war that does not enjoy popular support. FBU General Secretary Andy Gilchrist is held up by the media as one of a number of newly elected union leaders with supposedly Marxist leanings. FFTC serves the training and ... 2002 through March 31, 2005. He is sending us a diary of the eight-day firefighters' strike. Firefighters are paid less than the mean average pay in Britain (£21,500 compared with £23,607). Attorney General Lord Goldsmith was said to be keeping under review the possibility of seeking an injunction under a 1992 trade union law drafted by the Tories limiting strikes that could endanger human life. September 11 attacks, series of airline hijackings and suicide attacks committed in 2001 by 19 militants associated with Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda against targets in the United States, the deadliest terrorist attacks on U.S. soil in U.S. history. How does one account for such open divisions emerging within the highest echelons of the state? The FBU demanded a 39 percent increase in pay, which would have brought the average firefighter's wage (at the time) to around £30,000, it balloted its members for a strike in late 2002, the industrial action began in November. The Guardian editorialised, “Such an increase would break the dam of pent-up demand for pay increases in the public sector and lead inevitably to catch-up claims that would exhaust the money Gordon Brown has set aside for improving the fabric of public services. Women’s wages are approximately two-thirds those of men, so it is easy to do the maths regarding the living standards of firefighters. But without a political perspective, the militant sentiment was dissipated and the way was paved for the election of the Thatcher government. Steve Reeve is a retained firefighter at Long Buckby and a union representative for the retained firefighters. The TUC had its own representative on the Bain review body—the government backed commission established with the sole purpose of undermining the firefighters’ claim. The call came in around 1:15 a.m. Lansing Fire … But as far as Blair and Chancellor Gordon Brown are concerned, reaching even a half-way decent pay settlement with the firefighters would set a dangerous precedent. The first national strike in the fire service for 25 years is more importantly the first major industrial conflict between the working class and the Blair government. Boyce then insisted, “The armed forces should not cross picket lines.”. Thousands of part-time firefighters… The central lesson of the firefighters’ dispute is this: It is no longer possible for workers to defend even the most basic requirement for a living wage while remaining politically tied to the very party which is seeking to impose the will of the employers. Official spokesman and the media have loudly condemned the supposedly unreasonable nature of a demand for £30,000 per year. The FBU demanded a 39 percent increase in pay, which would have brought the average firefighter's wage to around £30,000. . FBU strike 2002: Firefighters' picket line, Homerton, London, photo by Paul Mattsson . This compares with 62 percent in 1998 and 61 percent at the end of the 1980s—indicating the extent of income redistribution to the top earners. Boyce’s warning was described by the Times newspaper as being close to mutiny. The police quickly followed suit, with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) stating that its members will not cross picket lines to remove red fire engines for use by the armed forces. Above all else, the union bureaucracy, including the FBU, is determined to do nothing that will fundamentally challenge the political authority of the government. MPs are paid £55,118 basic, twice the average wage, and enjoy numerous other perks worth tens of thousands. They were last deployed in force in the 1977 firefighters' strike, which lasted nine weeks. Indeed the firefighters dispute has demonstrated the precarious position of the government. In 1984-85 the miners, a more powerful section of the labour movement than the FBU, were isolated by the TUC and Labour, along with the refusal of Arthur Scargill the National Union of Mineworkers to challenge this political betrayal. He even went so far as to issue a press release to that effect. Over a hundred thousand lost their livelihoods. Chicago’s first, and so far only, firefighters strike had begun earlier that month, on Valentine’s Day. In 2001 and 2002, Firefighters and the FBU argued increasingly that they were underpaid for the dangerous and demanding work they did, and the FBU began a campaign calling for Firefighters’ basic pay to be increased to £30,000 per annum – an increase of 40 per cent. The latest threat to emanate from Downing Street is to send in civilian truckers with Heavy Goods Vehicle licenses to take out red engines, under police protection, for use by the army. When the last offer was made, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott refused to look at it and the government reportedly said there was no one available to consider the proposal until after the time set for the strike to begin. Millions of pounds have been set aside by the government to join a US-led war against Iraq. But percentages only tell part of the story. The strike -- which comes after a two-day stoppage last week, the first national strike by firefighters in 25 years -- promised to spread chaos … An unnamed minister described the government’s position as “all-out war.”. MPs have therefore joined the top 5 percent of earners in Britain, while Blair and his cabinet colleagues are in an even higher percentile. ARTICLE VII MISCELLANEOUS Employees shall be given twenty (20) calendar days' notice prior to any shift change. Blair has expressed his intention to go much farther. It isn’t the firefighters who have “lost sight” of how most people live, but the government and its supporters. Monday, 23rd September 2002 Neither I nor anyone else wishes to see a firefighters strike. But it also threatened that should the eight-day strike go ahead, the armed forces could not rely on 827 ageing armed forces “Green Goddess” fire engines and might be sent across picket lines in order to use the service’s fire engines. This was not the case in 1977 in the firefighters strike against Callaghan and it was not the case with the miners in 1984-85. LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - A fire broke out early Sunday morning at the America’s Best Value Inn in Lansing. We can all remember the UFT strike of 1967, the sanitation strike of 1981 and of course, the transit strike of 2005. The last time the army was sent across picket lines was during the 1926 General Strike. Ballot papers will be sent out to the 52,000 FBU members on 27 September 2002. But as they negotiated into the early hours before the strike deadline and the Local Authorities made two alternative offers, Labour refused to budge from its 4 percent proposal and insisted that nothing else would be funded by central government. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott then raised the possibility that the right to strike would be rescinded for workers in emergency services. It is not enough to withdraw labour for a few days in order to secure victory. Their pay formula is tied to that of the top 1 percent of civil servants, about 3,300 people, whose pay has shot up to as much as £200,000, supposedly in order to attract high-fliers from the private sector. Mean average earnings were £23,088 per year, but 63.5 percent of full-time employees earned less than this average. Most workers clearly welcomed the prospect of a new benchmark for pay awards. Firefighters must draw hard lessons from these experiences. The government is waging a political struggle, using every means available to them including the courts, the police, the army and the media. Even up to the last minute the supposedly hard-left leadership of the Fire Brigades Union was anxious to secure a compromise pay formula to avert the strike. April 18 2002 Union leaders agree to press for firefighters' salary - currently £21,531 - to be increased to £30,000. f ' h tour begins m e lance 0 gov t t reats in U.S. cities BY PAUL PEDERSON WASHINGTON, D.C.-Cuban revolu­ tionary leader Victor Dreke and Ana Mo­ Army, Navy and RAF personnel manned their own emergency firefighting vehicles, including over 800 Green Goddesses, while picketing firefighters and control room operators watched on. Like Prime Minister James Callaghan’s Labour government in 1977, the Blair government has immediately used the army as a strikebreaking force, together with the volunteer Retained Firefighters Union (RFU) which has a no-strike clause. But the abiding concern of this former supporter of the Socialist Workers Party has been to insist on his loyalty to the Labour Party. Firefighters Strike "Nothing will ever be the same" AN OFFICER at Lambeth station in south London summed up the strike's importance as he walked out on 13 November: "This step we've taken is very significant. Labour propaganda has also echoed Thatcher’s description of the miners as the “enemy within”, with its efforts to portray the firefighters strike as a threat to national security at a time when the country is on the eve of war with Iraq. Yet, while the Taylor Law’s penalties are a potent deterrent to strike activity , strikes still do occur. Many more workers are in the same boat—average nurse’s pay is now said to be £22,873—and many, many more are in a worse state, depending on barely sustainable levels of credit-fuelled debt to survive. The rumblings began back in the spring as the Fire Brigades Union … Twenty-five years ago the firefighters were the first to oppose the IMF-inspired economic policies of the then Labour government, in a wave of industrial action that eventually culminated in the 1979 “Winter of Discontent”. Fire Strike 2002 29 August 2010 6pm on Wednesday 13 November 2002 saw the first national firefighter strike since 1977. Brigadier Robert Aitken, in charge of the army in Wales during the dispute, told the press, “If anyone is going to give me better kit than I have got at the moment, through the normal democratic process, then I will have it. It should now be clear to everyone that the eight-day strike by Britain’s firefighters has been deliberately provoked by the Labour government of Tony Blair. When a group of firefighters sympathetic to the Socialist Alliance, a grouping of various left radicals, successfully placed a mealy-mouthed resolution to this year’s FBU conference calling for the “democratisation” of the union’s political fund (i.e., that some money could be donated to the Socialist Alliance), Gilchrist led the opposition.
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