London firefighters to strike on Bonfire Night

btw I speak as a manager AND an active trade unionist. some say 'impossible'. Not so. Separating out roles, discretly, and it works well enough.

erm..not really. some don't come over well enough for modern media. Some don't grasp economic realities very well. That sort of thing.

But I 'like' them. Even the slightly rabid ones. They are 'fighting the good fight' ( no matter how badly). For me politics is about core values and beliefs, and I simply can't stomach tories as they and me are at polar-ends.

not seeing support sans a clue anywhere jack.

Or how about -

"On 11 August, the London Fire Brigade formally began the legal process of terminating the employment contracts of 5,600 London firefighters....... If the dismissals are lifted now, the strike will be called off straight away."

"The LFB was acting under section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. If, 90 days after the start of this process, we have not reached an agreement which is satisfactory......they may legally fire all 5,600, and offer them re-employment on unilaterally imposed contracts."

From the Guardian

Lol at all the MNeter's automatically 'supporting' the strike without a clue about the reason for it.

Your description of Coleman is about right for most Tory MP's and ministers he is just not so good at hiding his true nature.

Take Thatcher for example, cried her eyes out on TV when her son mark was lost in the desert during a motor car rally but had no problems with her actions causing old people to die in freezing homes or children in poverty due to her policies.

When she dies I will have a party to celebrate.

lfn - you seem to be not reading stuff here. It's for maximum impact and coverage.

and it's really amusing to read "he gives the whole right-wing movement a bad name." priceless.

yes but how is more prevention work going to be done during the day with the proposed changes?

I mean - I presume on the current system that there's people working 24 hours a day, so they can still do fire prevention during the day surely?

oh suzy! I remember! Have been away for a bit, about a year, til the last couple of months. Biscuits still good? Easy. Quick. Tasty. Like some people I know!

yes but this isn't management input this is management dictatorship as they've decided "sod it we'll do what WE want, sack 'em all and only rehire them if they stick to what we (who don't actually go out and fight any fires, so have no idea what it's like actualy working on the ground) want".

i understood it to be a real top down decision not supported on many levels

how does that work - more time for prevention work if they're working the same hours - I don't get that.

As far as I understand the reasons for striking, I support it as I question how much "daytime community fire prevention work" really needs to be done by firefighters instead of other fire service personnel.

Having said that, if the promise to attend "major" incidents is true, it is next to useless as fire is obviously very unpredictable.
Only recently over the road there was an incident which was only reported as "bonfire out of control" but which very soon in danger of taking out a terrace and the people in it.
No-one knows far the emergency will have escalated between first verbal report and arrival on the scene.

suzycreamwaybackcheese

Well yes - the letters were sent out in August so it has been months........

Before that there had been negotiations, and then they decided to send out the sacking letter regardless of the talks that had been on going.

South Yorkshire firemen had been in talks over the same planned changes and managed to meet a compromise of 11 and 13hr shifts.

Sounds to me rather like the management in London said "sod this - can't be arsed listening to what our employers we'll do what we want"

LFN

You do realise that the "workers" have had to fight for nearly every right they have including the right to form a Union, "management" have opposed nearly everything of benefit to the "workers".

The Tories opposed the minimum wage even though it is set at a near poverty level.

As for striking to protect wages do you think arbitary cuts are ok then ?

feck yes! and who the feck are you?

feck Pan is that you?
lemon fork biscuits Pan?

for men read firefighters

I don't think unions of any type oppose every maangement change. We don't hear of the millions of 'changes' that go by. We just hear of the controversial ones.

As i understand it Longfingernails the change in shift is opposed by the men themselves

its easier to be more alert during the day
night work is different i think and it upsets your body system
we need them to be alert

why cant they organise their shifts, cover as they see fit

pick your fights, no?