fire service

They say there is growing anger among fire crews over new threats to impose new shifts.

Firefighters want to know why there has been no negotiation with their union before South Yorkshire fire authority councillors received the proposals for consideration. The Fire Brigades Union has still not been officially given details of the plans, although full press packs have been sent to the media.

This cash-strapped city reached a tentative deal with its police and firefighters unions Thursday, just before city leaders convened to decide if the city would seek bankruptcy protection from a swell of economic uncertainty.

That question remains unresolved, however, as details of the deal will be made public today before the council revisits the issue Monday.

After a grants round which saw a large drop in funding for some sectors, cutbacks are set to bite heavily in North Yorkshire and the South West.

Starting July 30 a succession of 24hr strikes every week will affect airports across the Highlands and Islands from the largest in Inverness, which is expected to deal with several thousand holiday-makers and travellers at its most busiest time, to smaller airports in "Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Islay, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick".

The pickets were set up at 6am and the strike lasted for a total of 11 hours, Brussels airport is not releasing details on the number of flights and passengers delayed but the numbers will be high and there will be a knock-on effect over the busy easter weekend.

Article written during the ongoing strike of fire fighters from 2002-2003 by the Anarchist Federation over pay and conditions, analysing the restructuring, the circumstances leading to the strike and the actions of the union.

A leaflet written and distributed by some people in the Anarchist Youth Network in the UK in 2003 during the strikes of firefighters for a pay increase to £30,000 and an end to "modernisation" or working practices.

Fifteen members of the police force, seven riot-police and eight CRS, were injured and a police vehicle was burnt during clashes with the demonstrators. According to police reports there were thirty-five arrests.

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).

The BBC reported that crews across Norfolk started the action on Tuesday afternoon but without the backing of their trade union.

They said managers were not keeping to a pay deal agreed in 2003. Fire service managers met union representatives on Wednesday to reach an agreement.

After the meeting firefighters decided to call off the action, which was to answer only 999 calls.

Managers and non-union members have been running a scab service throughout the strike, although there have been no major incidents. Fire fighters will resume the service for two hours on Monday, then start a new four strike immediately afterwards assuming no agreement is reached.

For more information, see our previous article:
http://libcom.org/news/merseyside-fire-strike-300806

Update: the strike is now on

Ministers had intended to raise the retirement age from 50 to 60 for new starters, creating a two-tier workforce. The new offer allows those with 30 years' service to retire at 50 - i.e. only those who begin service at the age of 20 or younger.

However, despite disquiet amongst delegates to the emergency FBU conference in Southport, the leadership is expected to call off the strike.

There is also likely to be a ballot on strike action at Luton airport after the Transport and General Workers' Union discovered Polish agency workers were being paid substantially less than British workers at Big Orange Handling - the luggage handlers for Easy Jet.

More than 2,000 FBU members took part in a ballot last month which had a majority of three to one in favour of action, however dates have not yet been set for the walk outs.

West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service has been liaising with the Army to provide emergency cover.