London firefighters strike to go ahead
Ahead of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) strike due to take place tomorrow, London Fire Brigade is reassuring Londoners that it will be responding to 999 calls throughout the FBU’s eight hour walk-out. The capital’s 5,600 firefighters will go on strike at 10am and will stay out until 6pm, after the London Fire Brigade sent them all letters of dismissal on 11 August.
Plans are in place to provide fire cover across the capital during the strike, and a fire engine will be sent to a wide range of emergencies including fires in people’s homes, vehicle fires, road accidents and collapsed buildings.
But the plans are not intended to match the Fire Brigade’s day-to-day cover, so a fire engine may not be sent to less urgent and non life threatening incidents, including rubbish fires (including bins and skips), fires on open ground, large animal rescues, flooding, people stuck in lifts and gas leaks.
Since the FBU announced their intention to ballot for strike action on 16 September, the Brigade has been putting its contingency arrangements in place working with businesses, charities and local authorities to explain the plans and distributing thousands of leaflets explaining how Londoners can prevent fires.
London Fire Commissioner, Ron Dobson, requests that people follow a five point strike fire safety plan:
1. Check your smoke alarm to make sure it works
2. Know what to do if you have a fire – get out, stay out and call 999
3. Take extra care when you are cooking or smoking
4. Share fire safety – talk to friends and family (visit the London Fire Brigade website for advice)
5. Only dial 999 in a genuine emergency
Ron Dobson said: “As firefighters our job is to protect the public from fire day and night so this strike over proposed shift times is very disappointing. We have plans that mean every area of London has fire cover and we will be doing all that we can to prevent this FBU action putting Londoners at risk.
“The dispute centres on how we are trying to do more to make Londoners and firefighters safer, it can only be resolved through talks, not an FBU strike.”
Commenting on the strike action, Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack, said: “It is a terrible step to have to take, but London’s firefighters feel it is the only one they can now take.”
London’s firefighters are going on strike because, on 11 August, the London Fire Brigade formally began the legal process of terminating the employment contracts of 5,600 London firefighters.
“If they had not started that process, we would not be going on strike. If the dismissals are lifted now, the strike will be called off straight away,” said Mr Wrack.
He added: “People say to me: it can’t be that simple. But it is. Firefighters hate going on strike, but they hate being bullied even more. The London Fire Brigade is trying to bully them, and they won’t have it. That’s why there was a 79 per cent majority in our ballot for a strike, on a 79 per cent turnout; a huge mandate by any standards.”
The London Fire Brigade was acting under section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. If, 90 days after it sent out the letters, the firefighters do not reach an agreement which is satisfactory to the employer, the London Fire Brigade will be in a position where it may legally sack all of London’s 5,600 firefighters and offer them re-employment on a unilaterally imposed contract.
“It is a process which is designed to avoid having to negotiate a settlement,” said Mr Wrack. “Why negotiate when you can sack everyone and impose new contracts?”
Tomorrow’s action is the first of two days’ planned strike action; the second is Monday 1 November. London firefighters have been taking industrial action short of a strike over the mass sackings threat, including a ban on overtime and “acting up”, since 24 September.
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Update Saturday 23 October 2010:
London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson, said: “Today (Saturday 23 October) we’ll be responding to 999 calls and doing everything we can to protect the public during this unnecessary FBU strike using our contingency plans. The public can really help us by taking extra care and taking time today to think about fire safety.”
Chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, Brian Coleman said: “This action is based on suggested cuts, there are no cuts, this strike is pointless and unjustified, and we must focus on talks to resolve the dispute.”