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Firefighters strike

from Cathy (cathyvpreece@aol.com)

'Striking is only choice'

Oct 22 2002
By Robert Dex

South London Press

ONE week today will see firefighters across south London walk out in the first of a wave of strikes over pay.

As Guy Fawkes Night draws closer, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is staging two 48-hour walkouts on October 29 and November 2. It will be followed by a series of eight-day strikes running up to Christmas.

When the South London Press spoke to firefighters at several stations across south London, all of them said they regretted going on strike but felt they had no other choice.

Station Officer Bill Parr at Dockhead station said firefighters were resigned to taking strike action.

He added: "We are not being listened to, so strike action is the only thing we can do."

A union official at Brixton fire station said he hoped the strike would not go on too long, adding: "No one wants this strike but the employers refuse to come back to the negotiating table."

And at Deptford, another fire-fighter, who did not want to be named, agreed that no-one wanted the strike. He said: "It's one of those things we've got to do - it's sad it has come to this."

London firefighters currently earn £21,500 a year after four years' training.

The FBU wants pay to rise to £30,000 to bring them on terms with Tube drivers who earn in excess of £31,000.

Chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority Val Shawcross warned people to take extra care during the strike.

She said: "The scale of cover cannot match the speed and level of response the brigade offers, which is why we are urging people to think safe and take care."

Four south London Tube stations will close if the fire-fighters go out on strike. London Underground will close Lambeth North, Kennington, Elephant & Castle and Borough because of safety fears.

Do you think firefighters should strike? E-mail us at: newsdesk@slp.co.uk or write to us at: SLP, 2-4 Leigham Court Road, London SW16 2PD Give your full name, address and telephone number

(posted 7828 days ago)

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