Firefighters battle government austerity

Submitted by Matthew on 3 December, 2014 - 12:03 Author: Darren Bedford

Firefighters showed the government the depth of their anger over pensions and cuts last week when they successfully disrupted a planned media event around a new fire station in south London on 25 November.

Fire minister Penny Mordaunt was met by 200 angry firefighters when she arrived at the new West Norwood fire station, blocking the entrance and preventing the car from getting in. As the vehicle sped away, cries of “1 – 0 to the FBU!” rang out.

After police reinforcements arrived, the minister returned and managed to get into the building. However she was met with loud booing on the outside and the refusal of firefighters to meet with her on the inside.

Firefighters were protesting about the government’s imposed pension changes that would see them forced to work to 60 or lose nearly half their pension. During this government over 5,000 firefighters’ jobs have been cut and 39 fire stations closed. The FBU (Fire Brigades Union) has refused to accept these austerity measures and continues its industrial, political and legal campaign. Firefighters in England today will strike again for 24 hours from 09.00 on Tuesday 9 December, while firefighters in Scotland and Wales will take action short of a strike after concessions there.

The FBU has also been vindicated by new figures in London, which confirmed that response times slowed by half a minute as a result of Boris Johnson’s fire cuts came out.

The union also won a legal case against the London Fire Brigade, after it docked crew managers pay during a period of industrial action over shift patterns in 2010. Fire commissioner Ron Dobson docked the wages of around 370 firefighters, some losing up to 40% of their income, for not “acting up” to watch manager during the dispute — work they were not contractually obliged to do.

These battles are far from over, and solidarity is needed from other workers.

• The FBU has called a demonstration in support of victimised Bucks FBU member Ricky Matthews in Aylesbury on 9 December, assemble 11.30am Oakfield Park Road.

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