London firefighters to strike on Bonfire Night

[longfingernails]

What are they thinking?

Anyway.

Whatever the reasons for the strike and their merits (I still think the reasons are totally frivolous), my original point still stands. How stupid is it for firefighters to strike on bonfire night?

I mean, there are obvious safety concerns. I really hope that no-one dies because of the strike. But just politically, it's stupid.

Brian Coleman is just about the most idiotic Tory there is. I truly wish he weren't a Conservative - he gives the whole right-wing movement a bad name. He is venal, arrogant and just plain stupid. The public would side with brave firefighters every single time over him. And yet. And yet. The FBU do the one thing that will lose public support. Strike on bonfire night. Why? How do these idiot union leaders get where they are?

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.

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.

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.

not seeing support sans a clue anywhere jack.

Pan Why? Are there really no Labour idiots you are ashamed to have on your side? I can name plenty, starting with one Gordon Brown.

newwave Labour's big problem is that most Tories are not like Brian Coleman at all, however much you might caricature them.

If they are really striking on bonfire night just for the "impact" then it is just so irresponsible.

I hope that if the strike goes ahead, then the emergency cover is beefed up massively. Firemen are above even nurses in the public's hierarchy of goodwill, but if the bonfire night strike goes ahead the union will lose every shred of public support.

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.

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.

The only Tory at the "top table" I see with an ounce of decency is Willets and just maybe IDS.

The sound of Gideon (a millionaire) screwing the poor sickens me. The lies about the poor being protected has already been exposed by the IFS.

As for Dave "were all in this together" please explain how he and Gideon will be affected by the cuts.

I am lucky, both my Sons have been through Uni in the last five years and both my partner and I earn a good living so I am not really affected by the cuts but common decency says the Tories are uncaring scum, always have been and always will be.

The party of the rich, by the rich and always for the rich.

Pan What about those Labour MPs in court for expense fiddling? Are you really, truly, happy to have Jim Devine, Margaret Moran, etc in your camp?

I am honest enough to admit that there are plenty of losers in the Tory party - as there are in any large group of people. If you honestly think there are none in Labour, then you need to take the blinkers off! The naivete of many Labour supporters amazes me.

no of course there are people who you would rather not be there - fiddlers should have been de-selected - to serve is a privilige.

no need for blinkers being removed, or naivity lessons! 'champagne socialists', there are. Power is a great head turner.

i am refering to characters in the wider labour movement rather than individual MPs or lords, as embarassing as they are.

Immensly proud of Tony Benn, for example, who may make you retch slightly?

Pan the early posters assumed it was about pay or restrictive contracts. The strike ballot appears to have been about a threat to dismiss.

Do you know why Labour didn't remove section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992?

ah. Those posters, like me, know that workers DON'T go on strike without good reason - it costs them money. So, yes I can see why people would say they support something as an initial reaction, and then ask for details later. Rather like someone leaving abusive relationships. Support them and then hear the detail afterwards.

set 188? no idea. But I suspect you are about to tell me!

Jack, may I answer please. Is it because NewLabour were as much in the pockets of "the markets and big business" as any Tory is.

NewLabour was not socialist or even social democrat.

Two landslides and they could have done anything they wanted, for the better. Had no instinct to, though. Fear of upsetting middle england lib dems, their marginal supporters.

"Labour's big problem is that most Tories are not like Brian Coleman at all, however much you might caricature them."

...lol

point of strike is to maximise disruption,show value of your labour

if i were firecrew id pick a significant night like 5th nov
like snow plough crew in Scotland strike when snowing

Apparently the last time there was a firefighters strike in my area, actual fire statistics were considerably lowered for the duration, as people were more careful.

I've seen a lot of stupid stuff done with fire/flammable situations at all times of year, including bonfire night, and it's always annoyed me as I've read it as the public taking the emergency services for granted. If anything maybe the timing of this strike will make some people think a bit more about taking precautions for their own safety, which I think would be a good thing.

"point of strike is to maximise disruption,show value of your labour"

And this value would be shown by death or injury over the bonfire weekend?

And if Ryuk is right and we all take better precautions so no one is hurt - how does that show (the public) the value of Fire Service?

Having read the Guardian article, I have some sympathy for them and agree Bob Coleman is an idiot.

But, with this strike, they are providing perfect 'anti strike' fodder for the Daily Mail et al, and getting 'support' from any disgruntled left winger looking for a cause.

I agree with LFN - what are they thinking?

Much more likely to be described as Bonfire night than Guy Fawkes since we don't celebrate terrorists in this country.

We don't celebrate guy fawkes though, I wouldn't call burning an effigy a terribly flattering move.

Do children still make guys and do penny for the guy and all that?

would imagine that twat Brian Coleman is partially behind the moves to sack them - I think I would be going on strike if
he was my (politiical employer).

Where I work (quasi public sector) also has an increasingly macho bullying style of management. All that does is piss people off and lower morale.

All done with a superficial veneer of consultation when in reality they knew exactly what they were going to do in the first place.

It is not sophisticated or clever management approach to threaten to sack a whole workforce.

Apparently Brian Coleman has employed a private fire fighting force to cover and is 'relaxed' about the 5th November. He would probably prefer to privatise it anyway.

If you contract out it is well known that you have a more cowed workforce who can be employed on lesser terms and conditions.