[A-List] UK labour militancy & public order

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

Confrontation as non-union officers break ranks

Gerard Seenan and Rebecca Smithers
Tuesday November 26, 2002
The Guardian

The fourth day of the strike was marked by a picket line confrontation,
while army green goddesses were kept busy by road accidents as fog enveloped
much of the country.

Devon

There were angry scenes in Devon when five non-union firefighters crossed a
picket line. Pickets shouted "shame on you" as the five members of white
watch reported for work at Plymstock fire station. Four arrived by van,
escorted by police, while the fifth arrived on foot. They were met by around
60 pickets.

Dave Chappell, chairman of Devon FBU, said: "Feelings are running high.
Everyone is feeling the strain emotionally and financially. To see people
going in to work and earning money when you are not is hard, very painful."

Buckinghamshire

A man died in a crash on the M40, which was attended by military personnel
and firefighters. A green goddess and a resuscitation team from High Wycombe
were called to the scene after a lorry collided with a car which then
crashed into another HGV. The car driver was declared dead and Thames Valley
police said a man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous
driving.

London

Today's one-day stoppage by teaching unions could force the closure of the
vast majority of London's schools because of the firefighters' strike.
warned. Many heads who kept their schools open during a day of action in
March said they would be forced to close because they could not take the
extra safety risks.

Striking firefighters left their picket line after being asked by police to
help free a bus driver trapped inside his cab at London Bridge station.

Manchester

The army was put on alert after pilots reported a Boeing 747 had "flap
problems" as it approached Manchester airport. A green goddess and a
breathing apparatus team were moved closer to the airport. The plane landed
safely.

Northern Ireland

A man and woman were treated for smoke inhalation after a fire in west
Belfast. Army crews were also called to a fire at a former shirt factory in
Derry, the eighth time the alarm has been raised at the derelict Tillie and
Henderson building since the strike began.

Essex

Two police officers were treated for whiplash injuries when a green goddess
collided with the patrol car escorting it to reports of an allotment fire in
Colchester.

Yorkshire

Soldiers rescued a man from his blazing home in Baildon, West Yorkshire.

Two lorry drivers were cut free in pile-ups on the M62 near Huddersfield and
near Harrogate on the A1M, and taken to hospitals in Huddersfield and
Halifax to be treated for fractures.

Military crews prevented a fire destroying Firth Park comprehensive school
in Sheffield.

Striking firefighters left picket lines to help RAF crews in Scarborough
where a man was rescued from a window-ledge after a fire in a seafront shop.
Pickets also joined army teams in York to save a local man, Steven Carr,
from his blazing home.

-----

 Change costs money, says union leader

Kevin Maguire
Tuesday November 26, 2002
The Guardian

Firefighters' leader Andy Gilchrist last night accused Tony Blair of "making
a fool of himself" after the prime minister claimed that the union's 16% pay
claim would wreck the economy.

The Fire Brigades Union general secretary poured scorn on government
warnings that the deal would cost the fire service £500m and the public
sector a total of £16bn if it was extended to 5 million local authority,
civil service and agency employees.

Mr Gilchrist hardened his public negotiating position ahead of this week's
likely resumption of peace talks when it emerged that implementing the
changes proposed by Sir George Bain's review would cost money in the short
term.

Previously unpublished official costings of the review disclosed that Sir
George's proposals would initially push up spending by £60m and save only
£19m, leaving a £41m funding gap to be plugged by ministers.

After receiving the thumbs up from a green goddess crew that drove past Soho
fire station in central London where he had joined a picket line, Mr
Gilchrist criticised the prime minister's attempt to take charge of the
dispute.

"Now Blair has made the government's position clear, we are all aware that
they really don't know what they are talking about," he said.

"Tony Blair listed five modernising items he said would save money, but he
made embarrassing gaffes on each one."

Mr Gilchrist yesterday held private discussions with TUC general secretary
John Monks and its deputy general secretary Brendan Barber, who are trying
to broker a resumption of negotiations.

"The only way to make savings in the fire service is to cut the amount of
fighters, cut the amount of fire appliances and cut the amount of fire
stations. All these cuts would mean a worse service for the public," Mr
Gilchrist said.

"And in the real world change costs. If you want more women in the fire
service, money needs to be spent on basics like toilets, showers, and
changing facilities for women.

"It costs to train paramedics and to equip them and to maintain the
equipment. Government also has to learn you don't get something for nothing.

"The threats about higher interest rates are just nonsense. The politicians
made no mention of interest rate rises or fairness to other workers when
they were pocketing 40% for themselves."

Fire authority employers held talks yesterday with senior officials in the
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Treasury to discover what they could
offer in future talks after they were severely criticised by Downing Street
over last Friday's vetoed draft deal.

The Local Government Association welcomed Mr Blair's "clarification" of the
government's position.

"We are pleased that the government agrees with what we have been saying all
along, that anything above 4% must be linked to modernisation and that this
is a once in a generation opportunity to deliver lasting improvements to the
fire service," a statement on behalf of the employers said.

"It is the employers' opinion that modernisation will deliver cost savings
in the long term but will require interim funding."

John Edmonds, general secretary of the GMB workers, said the TUC would make
the firefighters a "special case" if the government wanted reassurances
there would be no copycat pay claims.