29.02.1996

Firefighters

In brief

Several thousand FBU members from all over the UK marched through Liverpool city centre on February 26. They had come to show continued support for the Merseyside FBU membership in their continuing series of 24-hour strikes against job cuts. The FBU on Merseyside recently requested a further ballot to add two-hour strikes every day to the current series of 24-hour strikes. This would sharply increase the financial cost of the strike action to the Merseyside Fire Authority.

As in every case when the FBU have moved to escalate, the authority has claimed to be willing to negotiate a new offer, circulated in a special newsletter. There is still confusion as to whether it has ever been formally made or even agreed by the fire authority.

These delaying tactics threaten to disrupt the focus of the dispute. The action was to preserve jobs, but the ‘offer’ still leaves 20 posts cut from the establishment. This year the authority hopes to break the government-imposed cap on its expenditure.  If it does, with the background of already cutting 20 posts, then it will not back down in future. The authority will be back for more jobs in the impending fire risk review. If it fails to break the cap, then again it will be FBU members who will pay.

The fire risk review lies behind the cuts in jobs proposed in London. It is completed in Merseyside and is being held back by councillors fearful of its political consequences.

The Merseyside dispute remains deadlocked. Any settlement now will not be in the FBU members’ long-term interests, or those of residents who will face reductions in service.

Chris Jones