Firefighter Action

Firefighters in England and Wales took strike action for the fifth and sixth times this weekend, between 6pm and 10pm on both Friday 13 and Saturday 14 December.

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union (FBU) General Secretary, said:

“It’s now been almost two months since the government has been willing to meet for negotiations despite several invitations from us. Until they do and until they start to actually resolve the dispute, we’ll keep up the pressure for the sake of public safety and our members’ pensions.

“In a week when the full details of a £7,600 pay rise for MPs’ — which will also increase their pensions — emerged, firefighters’ anger at the governments unworkable, unaffordable and unfair proposals will be even greater. No firefighter wants to strike, but we cannot allow the government’s ludicrous proposals — and outright hypocrisy — to stand. We’ll keep on fighting until the government sees sense and comes back to negotiations.”

Other related news: read Dave Murray’s review of the FBU’s new pamphlet “It’s time to take over the banks” written by Michael Roberts and Mick Brooks.