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The
Fire Brigades' Union is calling for a 40% pay rise and have rejected
the 4% they have been offered.
As
the army and their Green Goddesses are mobilised, fears are growing
in Beds, Herts and Bucks that emergency cover may not be sufficient.
Should
this action be allowed? Do they deserve 40 per cent? What's the
answer? Have your say here.
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| Lee
Bradbury, CMK |
Friday
17
January, 2003 |
|
| Chad,
you say the Firefighters are being selfish. Do you think they
are selfish when they risk their lives to save people who, normally
through their own stupidity or carelesness, are in need of urgent
assistance? You ask what would happen if airlines, transport
and other companies did the same thing; well I haven't met any
transport service whose members risk life and limb to help people
in distress but I've seen the Postal Union strike for long periods
when one of their members has been suspended for gross misconduct,
I've seen train drivers strike for more money, I've seen teachers
strike for more money and if I put my mind to it I suppose I
could find a few more 'firms' who have gone on strike for more
money. |
| Chad
Bond, West Drayton |
Friday
17 January, 2003 |
|
| I
think the fire brigade are selfish in what they are doing. They
are putting the lives of ordinary persons at risk when striking.
no goverment or company should give in to the 40% pay rise.
those who chose to join the fire brigade, knew what there pay
would be. i agree that they should be entitled to a pay rise
ie. 4-5%/ not 40%. what about the nurses and doctors, who do
more hrs than anyone? the fire brigade need to wake up and start
to live in the real world.just imagine what would happen if
airlines, transport and other companies demanded the same? |
| Lee
Bradbury, CMK |
Wednesday
15
January, 2003 |
|
| Well,
this is a lively little 'Forum' isn't it? There seems to be
a lot of bitterness and hostility flowing here! OK, I am biased.
I was in the Fire Service, my father was in the London Fire
Brigade from the 1950's to the 1980's (yes, he was in the last
strike!) and my mother was a Controller in the Service. One
thing I have noticed during this dispute is that people keep
refering to the Armed Forces and saying that they run a greater
risk of getting killed or injured than a Firefighter; and your
point is??? The Armed Forces, by the nature of their job, are
there to kill or be killed, there isn't really anything else
to it. Oh yes, I was also in the Army so don't anyone jump up
and down shouting 'ooh, he hates the Armed Forces'. People say
that being a Firefighter isn't as dangerous as some other jobs;
I agree, it isn't. But, how many jobs are there that require
it's staff to go into places that other people are desperately
trying to escape from in fear of dying? And before anyone leaves
a message asking why my family all left this 'Wonder Job' I'll
tell you. My father and I both suffered injuries that stopped
us doing the job and my mother gave birth to me so she stopped
working until I started school. |
| Sharon,
Borehamwood |
Wednesday
15 January, 2003 |
|
| I
do agree that firefighters should be paid more but the army
need to prepare for war if war happens even though i hope war
dosen't happen it's not the right time to strike. |
| Rob
White, Saudi |
Wednesday
15 January, 2003 |
|
| Che
Stevenage, you miss the point. I love my job and the day I stop
enjoying it, I will leave. I am simply saying that we are already
being asked to do more with less, both in terms of personnel
and equipment the same as al lot of other public sector jobs,
you are not alone. As for overseas allowance, I am being payed
no extra for being here. |
| Jim,
UK |
Wednesday
15 January, 2003 |
|
| What
a brilliant idea Ron of Potters Bar has come up with! To have
the Fire Service and a seperate accident service. We will still
need the same number of Fire Appliances to cover the fires and
then additional Appliances and crews to cover RTA's. This will
go along with the Fire Cover Review which the Government are
so reluctent to publish. |
| Che,
Stevenage |
Wednesday
15 January, 2003 |
|
| Ron,
the idea of splitting vehicle rescue is a step in the wrong
direction, i'm sure even the government would admit that simply
because it would increase public services costs. |
| Che,
Stevenage |
Wednesday
15 January, 2003 |
|
| Rob
to be honest if you dont like working away from home on forces
pay then why did you join? It is not a secret that the armed
forces serve all over the world from Scotland to Belize and
the pay is quite a lot better than you make out when you take
into account overseas allowances etc. At my fire station there
are a number of people who served in the falklands, the gulf
and in the forces generally and none of them slag you off. Quite
simply if the government where going to cut the forces you would
be in uproar, if they said ok you can have a payrise only if
we cut the number of staff, fire engines and stations (to the
detriment of the service to the public (you ,I and our families))
and then said youve also got to use defibs, resusitators and
do fire safety when we already do! you would feel quite annoyed.
Oh and also i will be responding to any terrorist incident in
the uk whether it is twin towers style or tokyo underground
style so please do not wow people with your patriotism, that
you are the only line of response to these threats. |
| Peter,
Hemel Hempstead |
Wednesday
15 January, 2003 |
|
| Ron
Do you suffer from a short memory, or didn`t the Rail Crash
occur at which the Fire Service was congratulated on their skill
and professionalism in handling such an incident. As for Andy
highjacking the FBU, got that wrong also, he has put forward
exactly what the Firefighters want, and tried to defend himself
from the pompous, incompetent, mindless morons of the Government
and Press agencys in Blairs pocket. Yes please bring back military
discipline, but according to New Labour and Bain, that is not
Family Friendly and does not allow for ethnic diversity. As
for the splitting of the Fire Service what happens when one
part of the service is short will the other side cover, Oh can't
as they won't be trained, part of cuts, never mind the Government
dont give a damn for Human Life, Even when WE DO. |
| Rob
White, Saudi |
Tuesday
14 January, 2003 |
|
| Jim,
UK, conditions and pay can't be that bad then if a lot of ex
forces will be looking to be firefighters. Try working away
from your family for months at a time, for most of the year,
often in atrocious conditions and then having to cover a strike.
All for less than the average firefighter. |
| Ron,
Potters Bar |
Tuesday
14 January, 2003 |
|
| A
Fireman in Britain has one of the easiest and best paid jobs
in the country. Andy Gilcrist is Highjacking the Fire Service
to further his own ends in exactly the same way that New Labour
High Jacked the dear old Labour Party. Both the Firemen and
the Dear Old Labour Voters are much to sleepy to realise they
are living thier lives now, not in the past and certainly not
in the future. If they don't buck themselves up they will find
the public has completely turned against them. It is about time
we called up Firemen for National Emergency service and gave
them the terms,pay,conditions and discipline of the Armed Services.
It is also time to split the Fire Service in to two functions.
A Fire Service and a separate Accident Service. |
| Jim,
UK |
Tuesday
14 January, 2003 |
|
| Rob
White in Saudi, you will find a large number of Firefighters
have served in the forces in NI, Falklands and the Gulf. No
doubt a lot of those who have been on Green Godess duties will
be looking to join up when their Military Service ends, just
as they did after the last strike 25 years ago. |
| Tony
New, UK |
Tuesday
14 January, 2003 |
|
| We
have a Fire and Rescue Service that operates to a nationally
set standard to ensure that those in need receive the very best
help in the shortest possible time, irrespective of where they
live. The public have rightfully come to expect it. Mr Blair
and gang want to provide the service on the cheap and fire stations
will close, firefighters jobs will be lost and services will
suffer. The government spin is of greedy firefighters asking
for £8.50 an hour. Firefighters are continuing to do what they've
always done, protect the members of the public against all dangers,
and that includes this government. |
| Rob
White, Saudi Arabia |
Tuesday
14 January, 2003 |
|
|
I am currently in the Saudi Desert serving my country with the
RAF. When I return, I will be protecting UK air space against
hijacked aircraft. I cannot strike in order to protest about
pay and conditions, but if I did, would the firefighters cover
my job, like we've had to cover theirs? I think not. |
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