By Jill Mountford
The leaders of the Fire Brigades Union are yet again recommending that their members accept a pay offer which they have negotiated with the employers and which is backed by the Government.
FBU General Secretary Andy Gilchrist has touted it as "differing considerably from previous offers". It is worth 15.2% over two and a half years. The union has previously rejected 16% over three years.
Where is the "considerable difference"? Many FBU members simply can't see it.
Matt Wrack, FBU London region organiser, said: "This latest offer doesn't go anywhere near to meeting the demands of the membership. What's more, it is linked to savings being made through cuts in jobs and conditions. This is not a new deal, it's the old deal rehashed. I feel confident it will be rejected by a number of brigades around the country."
John Prescott is rushing legislation through Parliament that would allow the Government to impose a settlement on the FBU. His comment on the new deal was: "We have always said that pay has to be linked to modernisation of the fire service." And, of course, modernisation is a Government and bosses' euphemism for job cuts-a snivelling, false way of saying to workers, "we're taking your livelihood away".
The FBU leadership feel confident that a majority of brigades will back the deal and that they will win a vote in favour of it at the FBU recall national conference on 12 June.
A few concessions have been made in the offer. For instance, the new deal gives an assurance that overtime will not be used to cover for any staff shortages. And from 2005, firefighters' pay will be tied to that of workers in professional and technical occupations, rather than manual workers, as has been the case since the last national fire dispute in 1977.
But, as Paul Clarke, FBU sub officer in Cambridge said: "It is certainly not a done deal. It is not only a matter of pay. FBU members will not accept anything that will give the public a worse service than they have already."
After months of calling and cancelling strikes, the solidity expressed last September, when almost 90% voted for strike action, will be difficult to regain.
Militants in the union might be starting to worry that many members have simply had enough and may well be prepared to settle this long and bitter dispute.