Firefighters' strike

[Whois-Search]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2465745.stm


:depressed

[Ciqala]

I must say i totally disagree with this strike...

on the drive home from work tonight immediately after the strike started (6pm) we were driving behind a fire engine and almost everyone that passed were sounding their cars horns and making some not so nice hand gestures.

they are effectively blackmailing the country AND putting lives at risk...

if this goes on for too long it will even prevent us from being able to join in any activities involving iraq etc. and at the same time make us an easy target.

right now we have 320... yes 320!!! fire trucks serving the entire country all of which are about 30 years old...

and not only do these have to put out fires they also have to handle car crashes as they are the ones who have to cut the people out of cars....

they are playing with peoples lives because they are not being given a 40% pay rise and it really pisses me off... almost as much as false asylum seekers receiving state benefits but thats another kettle of fish

Ciq

[Whois-Search]

Tonight I have seen the firestation next door close

4 Green Goddesses from the army base up the road ( that can go 35 mph ) trying to answer calls

The Queen on the front of the newspapers almost lieing in court for that butler http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2455649.stm

I have also been shouted at in Greek ..........

Whats going on ?

[Ed30]

The country's falling apart that's what's going on! Must defend the Queen though - she has been put in a very awkward position.

[system0]

spot on Ciqala - couldnt have put it better.

The country's falling apart that's what's going on! Must defend the Queen though - she has been put in a very awkward position.

not sure if you were being sarcastic there or not but as far as im concerned the quicker we get rid of these parasites the better

[Ed30]

I wasn't being sarcastic.

[system0]

defend the queen from what??
the queen is the safest person in the country!!!

[President Gringo]

So you don't think the firefighers deserve the payrise?

The firefighters on the highest scale get £22k.........a london underground train driver gets £30k....go figure!!!!!!

Also, it should be noted that they have not had a pay rise in 10 years. They asked for 40% to give room for negociations. that would have given them a pay of £30k, although £25-27k would be good. They agreed on a pay deal a few weeks back, but the government blocked it.

[Ciqala]

Ok you make a good point pres (i earn 22k a year and i'm only 21)

but i still feel that they should not put money above peoples lives like this.

I am pleased to hear that their union has said they will allow the army to cross their picket lines and take control of the new fire engines... the green godesses are just not acceptable in this day and age.

[President Gringo]

well, its down to the governement. a deal was agreed and the gov blocked it. And its not something the firefighters want to do....in fact i think one station broke off the strike to deal with a fire at a fireworks factory/warehouse in manchester.

Police get £27k, a underground train driver gets £30k (WTF!!!!), i think that £22k for the head firefighter is a insult (remember, the rest are getting less than that). Alot of them need second jobs to pay the bills.........fair enough some of you say, but they shouldn't have to, they need to be alert and 100% ok when dealing with an emergency.

I think £25-27k is a fair wage to pay them. Lets not wait until a sept 11th happens here before we realise how valuable these people are to our nation.

I, for one, support the firefighters 100%. What really annoys me is the train drivers grrrrrrrrrrrrr

You say they shouldn't put peoples lifes at risk.......well what can you do when they refuse to listen? If they were not gonna strike the gov would just sit back and let them ***** about it. This way, they have to sit up and listen.

And i think if lifes were at risk, the firefigters would break the strike and assist. The strike is not something they want.

[system0]

what you have to remember is that there are other professionals who get a very very low wage

nurses etc

my friends mum works in a mental home and she gets something like £10,000 a year and works about 40 hours a week. She gets a helluva lot of crap for that and some days my mate says she comes in very stressed out - even crying

Also, Im not denying that firefighters put their lives at risk but you have to remember that 80% of the time there sitting around playing pool

[Whois-Search]

Is it true that the army can't break the door down of a burning house - the police have to go with them and do it ?

But Fire Fighters can break doors down and enter properties.

[Ed30]

I don't know about that, but I know that fire fighters in London get £28K (London weighting included).
On the whole they deserve more but asking for 40% is absurd.

[President Gringo]

Originally posted by Ed30
I don't know about that, but I know that fire fighters in London get £28K (London weighting included).
On the whole they deserve more but asking for 40% is absurd.

where did you hear that ed? I heard the best paid one (i.e the guy in charge of everyone on his firetruck) gets £22k. If they get £28k in London, then they get paid what they deserve.

[Ed30]

Didn't explain myself well sorry - if they accepted the offer on the table now ie 4% with and additional 7% next year, then London fire fighters would be on $28K.

[President Gringo]

dunno if that is correct........coz i thought that the hughest paid firefighter was on £22k, and if they got what u just said, it would put them on £25k, which is still good and satisfactory i feel.

[Ed30]

Pres - I got the info from Prescott's speech yesterday - but you can take whatever this contemptuous, incompetent, govt says with a pince of salt.

[Whois-Search]

"2 Jags" Prescott