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South Yorks Firefighters to take strike action |
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By Dick Vivian
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Wednesday, 14 October 2009 |
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Further
to their mass demonstration in Barnsley on September 28th (and
reported on the Socialist Appeal
website ) firefighters in South Yorkshire
will stage two 24-hour strikes next week after talks between unions, management
and members of the county's fire authority broke down. Fire-fighters currently work two nine hour
days followed by two 15 hour nights but bosses want them to work four 12 hour
shifts in a row.
The firefighters claim that the new hours are
not family friendly and leave some children needing child care for around 13
hours a day. The South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue authority is trying to save
£4.25m as a result. The firefighters have been offered £1,500 per person to
accept the shift changes but have told fire chiefs to stick their money “where
the sun don’t shine” to put it politely
Bosses have threatened to sack them all on New
Year’s Day before re-instating them on new contracts with new terms and
conditions if they do not accept.
FBU regional
secretary Ian Murray said: "The fire authority is hell-bent on a strategy
of confrontation. They have refused to withdraw the redundancy notice involving
744 firefighters and have turned down our request of national mediation.”
"South Yorkshire fire crews are very disappointed. We have been very
reluctant to set strike dates in the hope the fire authority will see some
sense. Having turned down every alternative and rejected national mediation
they have left us with no choice."
Union members will now walk out from 6pm on
Monday, October 19, to 6pm on Tuesday, October 20, and from 6pm on Friday,
October 23 to 6pm on Saturday, October 24
This dispute is about the balance between
work and life including family and leisure pursuits. The days of having to cow
tow to the bosses’ demands and put your job before everything have gone, even
in the emergency services. It should
not be beyond us to plan our work and leisure time to suit fit in with an
employee’s life outside work. The wonders of technology alone promised shorter
hours and flexible shift arrangements negotiated and agreed between employee
and employer. The actions of the South
Yorkshire fire chiefs have turned the clock back nearly 100 years in a
desperate effort to try and save money and in the process lead to further
confrontation and loss of an essential service to the public. The bosses are to
blame – if it works why try and fix it!
Workers and bosses in the emergency services
across country are watching this dispute carefully as any weakening of the Fire
Brigades Union position and resolve to win this dispute could open the door to
further attacks on conditions of services.
Victory to the Firefighters!
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