[A-List] UK labour militancy & public order

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

Ministers confront fire union

Kevin Maguire and Patrick Wintour
Tuesday October 22, 2002
The Guardian

John Prescott has hardened the government's stance in the firefighters'
dispute by agreeing that Whitehall will foot a bill that could run into
hundreds of millions of pounds for troops and police officers to provide
emergency cover.

In what seems an inevitable showdown with the Fire Brigades Union - and
possibly the rail unions - fire authorities across the UK have been told by
the deputy prime minister's office that central government will pay the cost
of deploying up to 19,000 service personnel and 800 green goddess tenders.
Whitehall will also pay any overtime for police officers escorting the
ageing vehicles, when the first walkouts start next Tuesday.

The move came as the government met the FBU general secretary, Andy
Gilchrist, to ask for assurances over the kind of cover the firefighters
will offer if a major emergency occurs during the wave of strikes.

The local government minister, Nick Raynsford, demanded that the FBU
complies with a voluntary TUC code of conduct drawn up in 1979, claiming it
showed the FBU had an obligation to ensure emergency services were
protected.

The code advises striking unions to provide services essential to the health
or safety of the community. It also suggests: "Trade union members should
also provide cover for the maintenance of plant and equipment essential to
the functioning of the establishment." Mr Gilchrist said he would discuss
the issue with FBU's executive tomorrow.

Tony Blair condemned the strikes as "wrong and dangerous", adding that
acceptance of the 40% pay demand would create havoc across the public
sector. The Conservatives called on the government to take a still tougher
stance by ensuring modern fire engines are placed outside fire stations so
the army is not required to cross FBU picket lines and does not have to rely
on the inadequate fleet of green goddesses.

The TUC is working behind the scenes to prevent potentially the most
dangerous dispute to confront the Blair government. Its general secretary,
John Monks, will brief his general council today on the wors ening crisis.
The TUC is pressing the government to bring forward completion of the
official review chaired by Professor Sir George Bain into a package of pay
and modernisation of firefighters' working practices.

Although the FBU is not cooperating with the inquiry, the TUC believe the
review, set up in September, is the only way in which the employers and the
government can reach a formula acceptable to firefighters and not
inflationary across the public sector.

The inquiry completed taking evidence last week, but is not due to report
until mid-December, when long-term strikes will be under way and positions
will have hardened.

Mr Raynsford promised to look "very, very carefully and sympathetically" at
the inquiry recommendations, adding that any payment would be backdated to
November 7.

Meanwhile Mr Prescott's decision to pick up the bill represents a change of
policy and underlines the government's determination to confront the union.
Labour had forced fire authorities in Essex and Merseyside to meet the cost
of green goddesses during local disputes in recent years, but Mr Prescott's
office has informed the Local Government Association that it will finance
the stand-in crews. A senior figure on the employers' side said ministers
were "resigned" to strikes starting next Tuesday and "in no mood to back
down".

Mr Gilchrist said: "It is unbelievable that they are prepared to spend
millions of pounds to make something work which won't work, when they would
be better off spending the money to help settle this dispute."

Mr Prescott's office advised the Local Government Association of the
government's decision to pay for military assistance last Thursday, the day
before the FBU announced a near 9-1 vote in favour of walkouts by its 52,000
members on 36 days before Christmas.

Talks are also under way with the Ministry of Defence, with military top
brass wanting compensation for removing personnel from normal duties and
training. Employers believe the bill may run into hundreds of millions of
pounds, depending on the length of the dispute, after the bill for military
and police cover for 11 days of strikes on Merseyside early this year topped
£1.5m.

The government is closely monitoring threats by the rail unions and others
to refuse to work during a firefighters' strike on health and safety
grounds. Unions are entitled under new laws to seek a new risk assessment
from their employers in such crises.

Mr Raynsford said there was no justification for such walkouts, with the
clear implication that knock-on action will lead to court action.