Firefighters have decided to go ahead with their strikes after being offered a derisory pay rise by their employers. Blair seems to be spoiling for a fight. I would think that New Labor could easily have settled this dispute by giving these brave men and women the pay that they deserve. Instead, Mr. Blair looks determined to put people’s lives at risk - because he doesn't want other public servants to ask for more pay? A bit hypocritical, really, since Blair refuses their demand for a 40% raise, while he himself received a 41% increase less than a year ago. Peace. __________________ Youth is the first victim of war - the first fruit of peace. It takes 20 years or more of peace to make a man; it takes only 20 seconds of war to destroy him. -- King Boudewijn I, King of Belgium (1934-1993)
Are you taking the p*ss? They work 40 hours a week and most have second jobs. I say sack them all, and use the money to train the army to take over full time. Or sack them all and then hire new staff, there are plenty out their who would gladly take their jobs. If they get a pay rise then the rest of the public sector would want one too. I do not know if you realise this, but if they get it your taxes will go up...
Good thing I'm not a tax payer yet *wipes brow* I'd feel really guilty if I was a fireman who went on strike!!
"......all of your possessions, your pets, your family?" hmm lemme see....did i let the insurance policy lapse? nope. still good! got a match?
New Labour is terrified of having to give in to unions so they've wiped their hands of the whole affair by setting up an Independant Review Body to make the pay offer recommendation, (4% this year, 7% next in exchange for changes in working practices), and leaving the negotiations up the Local Government. I hope the Firefighters get as much as they can, but I think they're really opposed to the proposed changes in working practices than in such a big pay rise. To be fair to Tony Blair, (of whom I'm no fan), part of the reason his pay rise was so big was because he had not taken his earlier pay rises. We now have soldiers in 1950s fire engines with a top speed of 50 mph.
Actually the top speed is 32mph. There is paying more (They were offered 11% above inflation), and then there is paying more (They still want 40% above inflation). I would gladly let them have the extra 11% but 40% is too much. It is completly irrellevant. How many firefighters are there in the UK? how many Tony Blairs? Tony Blair is but one man. His pay doesn't effect the rest of the public sector!!!!!
sjmarsha I accept your point that giving Tony Blair an extra £50 000 a year can be acheived without any tax rises, whereas paying the Firefighters their full claim would. I do think Blair's pay rise is relevant though. His pay rise was so high because he had, like other Prime Ministers, declined pay rises in the past and his pay had fallen behind. The reason the Firefighters claim is so high is because Public Sector pay has consistently fallen behind that in the Private Sector. Like Blair they need a big hike to catch up. Also they were not offered "11% above inflation". They were offered 4% this year, (about 1.5 above inflation) and 7% next year. There were also strings attached.
Fair enough. I had a 50/50 chancee of getting it right. Do we have private firefighters? I see what you mean though. And of course agree.
I have to say that I was quite sceptical about this. The papers all said 50 mph. Tonight in the taxi home I got caught behind a Green Goddess. It was like following a Milk Float. But it may have been doing 33 mph, so you're still a filthy rotten liarPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
LOL I hadn't considered the wind factor, it was very blowy here yesterday, (70 mph at one point), so that's probably what did it. In all seriousness, the Green Goddesses IRL look even more pathetic than they do on TV and being held up by a fire engine was a new experience for me.
Put it this way, if the fire fighters get what they want, other public services will strike - it will cause a dominoe effect. I actually agree with what sjmarsha said, let the army take over full time, when you are a public service i believe you forfit the right to strike, it is different for other jobs tho. As for the politicians getting that 40% rise, they dont deserve it.
