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But
now there is some hope that the strike may be the last. Andy Gilchrist,
the leader of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), told the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ there
was "every chance" that two further strikes - scheduled for 28 January
and 1 February - may be suspended.
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News: >>>
Green Goddesses |
The
FBU's position so far is that qualified firefighters should be paid
£30,000 a year, a rise of 40%.
But the Government and council employers insist that any pay increase
above 4% must be linked to modernisation.
The
FBU is worried that proposed changes to working practices - like
joint control rooms - could mean thousands of job losses.
Are the firefighters' right to strike?
Have Your Say >>>
Page 1: More
of your comments >>>
From
Mrs S Gregory in Elgin, Scotland
As a wife of a RAF serviceman I would like to ask Mr. Gilhurst why
it is acceptable for service personnel to cover for the strikes when
alot of these men and women are on less money than the firefighters.
They are not allowed to strike for more money. But then i don't think
that any of them would even if they could. You see my husband, like
many others joined the services so that he could serve his country.
It wasn't for the money, pension or for any other materialistic reason.
Why did these firefighters join the service if they didn't want to
put their lives on the line. What's more at the moment with the Iraq
situation, the FBU should sit down and think about the pressure the
forces are under already. And lets not forget the families of the
personnel covering the strikes. Three times now we have had to cancel
plans because the firefighters want more money. Please stop being
greedy, accept that there is no more money in the pot. Your Men and
women are out fighting for a better world. Let them get on with what
they have been trained to do. Could you cover their job??????
From
eric smith in Manchester
I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD GET A PENY PAY RISE. THEY DO QUITE A HARD
JOB BUT SO DO OUR ARMED FORCES AND THE POLICE DOCTORS / NURSES WHO
NEVER GO ON STRIKE.iF THEY REALY CARE FOR THE PUBLIC LIKE THEY SAY
THEN THEY WOULD NOT PUT OUR LIVES AT RISK. THEY ALSO NEW HOW MUCH
THE JOB PAID WHEN THEY TOOK IT ON.ITS JUST GREED.I WORK 12 HOUR SHIFTS
AS A BUS DRIVER 13 NIGHTS ON 1 NIGHT OF MY TAKE HOME PAY IS £900 AMONTH.WITH
5 KIDS TO SUPORT. HOW CAN THEY SAY THEY CAN'T MANAGE
From
Natalie Johnson in Salisbury
No I don't. It must be a hard life being a fire man by day and received
£30,000 then having an additional occupation be it a taxi driver or
a painter and decorator oooh how money must be tight!! My husband
is in the army and I have not seen him much this year. He get's paid
significantly less than a fireman and has more life threatening instances.
I would like to know if a fireman would be prepared to stand in for
the army. My overall comment is Lads your life is cushy compared to
the majority of the population. however it must upsetting to know
that the army with half the staff are cutting your response times
in half and still managing to attend fires efficiently. So watch out
pay might not be an issue there may be redunancies as well. Cutting
your nose to spite your face comes to mind.
From
Ted in Glasgow
I am a serving firefighter who even after the last strike drove Green
godesses to fires,answered 100% not just 40% of calls,worked 3days
followed by 3nights,low manning prevailed because no one wanted to
join the service.Now we have become victims of doing such a good job,some
people want the service to modernise,ie go backwards. Pay peanuts
you get monkeys,if that is what the public want then fair enough.
From
Anon
As a serviceman that is now having to do two jobs for less pay than
these "fire-fighters" (skivers?) get for doing half a job, I say sack
them all. You will get plenty of people willing to work for the current
rate of pay.
From
mujtaba zaka, birmingham
i think that goerment need to shape up and sort out the mess before
more lives are lost.
From
Nicole, Manchester
To Ian Templer in Rochdale - There are a lot of us that are on crap
wages with bills to pay but your comments are not justifiable. Maybe
you will change your mind one day if it is your house burning down
with your child inside. Will you be the one running in or will you
be screaming at the "blackmailing scum" to help you?
From
catherine, llandudno
Why do people begrudge a hard working firefighter getting double pay
when working on Christmas Day? Why is it if they have a 10 minute
tea break, they get called lazy? The people writing these stupid comments
clearly have no understanding of a firefighters job and probably deserve
the level of service they'll end up with if prescott gets his own
way!
From
Huw Evans, Glasgow
I think the dispute has been allowed to drag on for far too long.
It has been made into something more political than it should have
been and I believe people are now bored with it. The FBU should understand
that, if they want more than 4%, they *HAVE* to modernise. They can't
have it all their own way and this government isn't going to let them.
From
Anon
40% is out of order i think they deserve 20% but no more.
From
Vicky, Stockport
Ian Templer in Rochdale, I disagree. How can you say firefighters
are blackmailing scum? Do you have any idea of what they have to do
for a living? I suggest you go down to a local station & ask them.
There are far more issues here than just a payrise. The firefighters
are also fighting station closures, still keeping the fire service
free, attending every call out & not just ones they think are worth
them doing (like the police) & for their pensions. They are currently
facing the possibility of having to work until they are 65. Now, I
know everyone else retires at 65, but would you want a 64 year old
man climbing a ladder to save you & your child from a fire? I think
not. Also, if you had ever had to be rescued by fireman from either
a fire or a car accident, you would not be calling them scum & you
would not think they were being paid too much. And finally, you are
showing your total ignorance about the wider issues here - so get
your facts right, stop! complaining & if you think they are paid well
- apply to join the service - then we'll see how readily you'd run
in to a burning building knowing that you are risking your own life
for a total stranger.
From
jane, edinburgh
we can see their point
From
nina
would you risk your life for 21k a year?
From
D.Timperley
During the last phase of the strike I found it extreemly hard to keep
my opinion to my self, now I have decided to speak out. The firemen
asked for a ridiculous rise but were offered a substancial one for
the work that they do and for the work they DON'T do when they are
on stand down and on call.I would like to point out here that they
CHOSE to do this work and now that they have the job they think that
they can hold the people, not just the government,to ransom. Even
if they do feel they are underpaid I think it is despicable to put
our lives and the lives of their own families at risk.They should
be made to honor their contract of employment and to find another
way to settle this dispute. Perhaps they would like to take up my
job situation.I was earning a fairly good wage for my job which is
delivering wine to private houses. The job is difficult and getting
harder with time limits, speed restrictions and generally apalling
road manners.To earn my good wage I had to put in ,on average, 12-14
hrs a day driving. Last year without any warning my bosses decided
that I was earning far too much, on the system THEY implimented, and
told me that I was to get a 25% paycut as of february 2002.They thought
that compensation of £10,000 would settle the matter. As most people
have long term commitments, bank/b.soc. etc. that amount is very soon
swallowed up but the lenders still want me to honor my contract with
them out of a vastly reduced pay packetwhich in real terms means going
from £1700 to £900-1000 per month.I cannot do it and the situation
worsens by the week so much so that I will probably lose everything
some time in the near future.It is not too difficult to see why the
firemen do not get my vote.
From
Slavko Mykosowski, Manchester
If we can deploy 26,000 troops to fight a war in Iraq then we can
pay the firefighters, just isn't excuse anymore.
From
Michael in Ashton-under-Lyne
I believe that the firemen are currently behaving in the incorrect
way.
From
Ian Templer, Rochdale
They are no more then a lot of blackmailing scum. For what they do
now they are paid too much. I have to keep a home & child for less
then they want as a pay rise. Enough is enough.
From
Margot Hoyte in Melbourne, Austalia Firefighters are underpaid
anyway - so they should get a decent pay rise. Also, post-S11 we have
an even greater expectation of our emergenciy services, so the government
should stop being such a pack of wingers, respect worekrs who are
working on behalf of the whole community and pay up.
From
Thom in Lymm
to m campbell, i believe it isnt as easy as climbing a ladder
in wellies, it takes alot of training and courage, im not a fireman
as well and as for the strikes, they should not get a 40 percent rise,
half of it is the most i would say, but still we manage to get enough
money for other stupid things so...
From
P Hagen in Manchester
Ask the many thousands of people in hard, dreary minimum-wage paying
jobs who are on their feet for over 40 hours a week if they are cheering
the firefighters on. They already earn much more than myself and many
of the people I know, including many dedicated workers in the health
service. It's hard to muster any sympathy. Would the firefighters
be sounding their horn in protest and support when yet another annual
sub-inflation pay rise is given to me?
From
Gareth, Manc
yeah i support it. for wot their gettin paid at the moment, nobody
in their right mind would run into a burning building to save somebody
else.
From
Phil Belcher, Swinton
im sorry but i cannot support thr firemans strike. They do a great
job yes but so do most of us. Im an electrician and probebley have
as much danger in my job as a fire man and i work much longer hours.
Its not as if they didnot know there salery before joining. Come on
join the real world.
From
John Smythe, UK
Re: John in New York USA, Lets compare the pay to NEW YORK CITY FIREFIGHTERS
USA /UK Start £23,052/£16,941 1 Year - £25,001/£17,208 2 Years - £26,250/£17,982
3 Years - £27,582/£18,843 4 Years - £28,941/£19,776 5 Years - £37,795/£21,531
15 Years ???/£22,491 and a GENEROUS pension after 20 years service
for New York Firefighters. 30 Years for UK.
From
Sav in Manchester
I am sick of hearing how firemen risk their lives on a daily basis
just to keep us safe. There are more window cleaners hurt or killed
each year in the course of their work. That’s not to mention building
workers and loads of other professions. They have the best training
but practice the most outdated working procedures i.e. no overtime
(of course this may affect their other part time job) refuse to work
with their part time colleagues and generally don’t want to modernise.
They should get real as semi skilled workers they are paid more than
sufficiently and should not abuse their position by trying to hold
the country to ransom. If one life is lost through any strike the
blame should fall squarely at the fire brigades feet.
From
Samantha, Australia
Over here in Australia at the moment we are enduring the worst bushfires
in 30 years...do our fire fighters go on strike?? No, they get on
with their job, which is, to put out fires and save lives. A huge
'Thank you' to them!!! What if the firefighters on Sept 11 in New
York were on strike?? Yes, it is a dangerous job and these people
are heroes, but they know the pay and conditions before they join
If they are not up to it...they shouldn't do it. After all, the majority
of us in the work force, aren't paid fairly for what we are do.
From
Terry c carter, Salford
As an ex 22 yr soldier I support the firefighters they are in need
of a reasonable pay rise without reducing firefighters.
From
Vick, golborne
give it to the hospitals instead simple.
From
Tony, Warrington
They do a great job, but 40% seems way to much. Isn't saving lives
rewarding enough?
From
KATIE BORG, Malta
Just ask the peole that have been saved from any life threatening
incident if they support the firemen,i certainly do as i was helped
on more than one occassion in the uk. GOD BLESS AND KEEP THEM SAFE.
From
Kerry Fazal in Andover
I think the firemen should get paid more money but they should
not go on strike as it is riskings peoples lives!
From
Vicky in Stockport
Get another job? Are you people as stupid as you sound? If all firefighters
took your advice, we wouldn't have any at all & then would you lot
be? Firefighters deserve thier money - if the government didn't waste
so many millions of pounds on pointless things such as the Millennium
dome, sculpture that no one likes and thier own perks - they could
afford the 40% rise & still have money to spare. Keep it going lads
- you deserve every penny & I know plenty who back your cause.
From
laura in Manchester
I can definitely see why they deserve better pay when other people
earn much more doing very little!Look at the pay footballers get-and
what risks do they take???I am a nurse within the Nhs and strongly
feel that Tony Blair should reward all the good we do-the long hours,the
unsocial hours etc-although i went into nursing knowing the pay wasn't
great for all we do,i suppose i thought The Prime Minister would move
with the times and give credit to those who live for their jobs not
work to merely live i.e nurses,firemen and police.M campbell from
Rochdale do you have any grey matter???!!!I'd like to see how brave
you'd be fighting a fire-you appear very small minded in your opinion
of firemen i hope your turkey doesn't burn you'll be on your own with
comments like that!!!Merry christmas to all the firemen and women
let's hope Scrouge from Rochdale doesn't need you!
From
M Williams in Manchester
It's pathetic that this country is being held to ransom by a group
of greedy firefighters, these people seem to believe that they are
something 'special'. Full praise to the army guys & gals for their
tremendous efforts & keeping our homes & businesses safe. I say get
rid of the firefighters & lets put a dedicated team of army professionals
in to do a proper job.
From
Millie
people in france get paid alot less then our firefighters in england.
and they all have madical training. if our fire fighters want more
pay they should be trained paramedics also. im not saying they dont
do a good job because they do. the government simply cant afford it.
From
Mrs Bibby in Wigan
No I don't support the fire strike and, what's more, I have yet
to meet someone who does. Since the last strike, infomation has become
more widely available and the public are learning exactly what the
day to day duties of a firefighter are. I should like to find a job
where I can get paid £8 an hour for lying in bed asleep! Yes we all
know that certain jobs they attend pose threat to life, but in reality
how many are killed. They have officers to conduct on the spot risk
assessment for this very reason. They do deserve the higher wage as
it is they who shoulder the responsibility should anything go wrong.
I put it to them that the police face far greater dangers on a much
more regular basis. When a firefighter attends a situation, they can
make certain assumptions of what to expect. A police officer can not.
They may get called to what sounds like a minor fracas and be faced
with someone armed with a weapon. We hear far more stories of this
nature on the! n! ews. Then there's the paramedics. The number of
unprovoked attacks on them, both verbal and physical, grows every
year. They attend situations with the soul purpose of preserving life
and yet their own could quite easily come under threat. There are
certain jobs in this world that you don't do for the money and firefighting
is one of them. So I put it to the members of the fire brigade who
are putting personal gain before saving lives to get out and make
way for those who do not.
From
VT
living with my partner who became a fireman about 18 months ago.
people cannot imagine the mental and physical extremes they have to
go through. after watching the events last year in america, when so
many firemen were lost i cannot believe that people to not think that
firefighters do not do a brave job. so they have to maintain their
equipment and wait for a call, but that call could be a bin fire,
a shed, major car crash, air crash, IRA bomb, or a major terriost
attack. Every time he goes to work i do not know if he is going to
come home, or if he is going to have a disabling accident. this is
nothing compared to some of the situations that they have to turn
up to. would you like to cut out three chard 17 year old bodies from
a car? since then he has not tuched pork. The emotional cost is huge.
yes you cannot put a cost on life, and i support nurses, doctors and
all the emergancy service. if you can face death and disaster everyday
then you a! re! a better person than a pen pusher sat in some cosy
office.
From
Richard in Macclesfield
I think demanding a 40% pay rise in any job is way over the top.
Sure, I accept that firemen's lives can be put at risk on an almost
daily basis, but is farming not the most dangerous proffesion around?
And farmers are self employed, and are hardly making a fortune. If
we end up going to war in Iraq, then who is going to put out the fires
while the army is fighting? There will be people losing lives before
too long. I accpet they deserve more money than they currently earn,
but that's down to the government, not the people. It's bang out of
order to hold the people of Britain hostage to blackmail the government.
It's such a shame that most of the money that could be used is going
to fat cats as pay-offs when they've messed up whatever they've been
doing (ie the NHS management....that's a different story though) At
the end of the day though, they're never going to get 40%, so either
accept what's on offer and think yourselves lucky - I don't see nurses
or any other service getting that sort of payrise - (my town doesn't
even have a police station outside office hours!) or find a new job.
From
Shaun in Bolton
i would like to inform everyone that we have one of the finest
fire services in the world and i for one would like to keep it that
way. our fire service is comprised of highly motivated professional
people who provide fire and rescue services second to none and are
willing to risk our lives to save yours. we do2 days from 9am until
6pm during that time we check all their fire appliances and equipment
are functioning correctly, we have lectures to refresh us of all the
various incidents we attend, we train for all the different situations
we can be faced with ranging from fires to road traffic accidents
to water rescues and chemical incidents after all there is no other
service attending the incident who are as well equipped and experienced
to rescue people or animals trapped or in distress. we also visit
our local community in homes and business to provide fire safety advice,
we also enfore the fire precautions act and workplace regulations
to ensure public safety. we also attend all emergency calls within
the gov response times. we then do 2 nights starting at 6pm until
9 am and then back on duty at 6pm until 9am the following morning
with no shift allowance for nights or weekends. we then finish at
9am for 3 days having complted a 48hr week.during the night shift
we still have lectures and do during perfomance inspections at various
premises that open during the night. i am proud to be a fire fighter
with greater manchester fire service and i have never had an incident
where someone has been dissatisfied with our service but i have had
plenty of letters of appreciation for a job well done. thanks to everyone
who are supporting the firefighters and fire control staff during
this very difficult time
from
Catherine in Hyde
I dont agree with the firefighters strike. Where do they think
the extra money is going to come from? If anyone deserves a pay increase
it is the army for risking their lives tackling fires having only
basic training and equipment
From
Ann in Manchester
Would Tony Blair risk his life for £20000 a year? Cherie earns
at least £150,000 per year and I bet she does a fair bit of sitting
around as well! Perhaps they'd like to try and bring up a family,
get a mortgage, etc. on £20000 a year. I think everyone who works
full time should get a decent living wage. Some of these people in
our so called 'Labour' government are completely out of touch. I'm
not saying the firefighters should get 30% but they could have given
them 16%. That's not too much to ask and I have a feeling they would
have accepted that at first. Now it's become a war of attrition. Get
it sorted Tony - otherwise we'll be heading for a Conservative Government!
From
Bert Wilkes in Bolton
Firefighters want a 40% rise why !Because they think their job
is more dangeress than the average person who goes to work RUBBISH.
I am a private hire driver in Bolton count up how many firefighters
have been killed doing their job in the last five years, then count
up how many taxi drivers have been killed in the same period doing
their job, both supply a public service. So they say the job is dangeress
so is my job but I just get on with it and so should they. I think
the lads from our forces should get a pay rise of 40% they have been
doing the same job has the firefighters on less pay and not complaind
about it, these lads are on the brink of going to WAR but they cannot
go on strike for a pay rise because they know what the job entaild
when they signd up just has the firefighters did. They say the Labour
party gave themself a 40% rise but no matter which party got in they
would do the same.The firefighters do a very good job.but what they
dont tell y! ou in the media that when they have been to a fire in
Bolton they drive around Bolton Town Centre and stop on Bradshawgate
to CHAT UP young girls that have gone out for the night, if you dont
think this is true come down to Bradshawgate on a Friday or Saturday
night and see it for yourself.I wish I could charge my passengers
an extra 40% to chat up girls in between jobs.Just to finish it seems
to me that the FBU rep is just another Arther Scargill and wants to
bring the entire country to its knees like Scaregill did in the 70s
just to make himself famous I think he has got more chance of taking
over 10 DOWNING STREET.
From
Dennis Carmichael in London
So Mr M. Campbell in Rochdale thinks It's ok to go running into
a burning building or roaming round in toxic waste trying to clean
it up before he or his family are harmed by it. and for £22k a year
BEFORE stoppages, and it's ok to go to pile- ups on the Motorway and
start cutting dead kids out of RTA's These men and woman are NOT just
firemen THEY are rescue workers For God's sake. Remember KINGS CROSS
how many nurses, ambulancemen,or police officers went running into
that station time and time again bringing people out before they themselves
died saving lives. NONE. REMEMBER THE FIREMAN WHO LOST HIS LIFE THERE
Who was the first to get a 40% rise after the elections. AND how many
of us knew about it before hand I know I didn't and I didn't hear
any of them say don't give it to me as the country can't afford it,
take a look at the house of Commons subsidy for the Bars and the rest
of there perks AND remember Mr Campbell Which ever way you look at
it! , three quarters of this country DID NOT VOTE FOR THIS goverment
I went to the royal free hospital last week where I saw fireman putting
breathing apparatuses not knowing on the way to a hospital if they
would come out alive, things you take for granted cost them the earth,
try getting life insurance after telling them your a fireman or car
insurance. Tube drivers get £30k+ and more on the way, you see Firemen
are a lot more than just glorified cleaners and as for sack the lot
of them. You pray to god they are working at christmas for all are
sakes.
From
Anonymous
i agree with the statement why spend money on arms and killing
innocent people when our minister cannot look after his own people,
yet expects us to keep sending money to other places. It is time we
british stopped sending money away and looked after ourselves for
a change after all our government cannot do it properly.
From
Jim in Macclesfield
Whilst I have a certain degree of sympathy for the firefighters
I am afraid I do not support this strike.Come on lads if its such
a badly paid job why are there 40 applicants nationwide for every
vacancy. I work in local government and have recieved 7% over 2 years
bringing my salary up to the grand total of 13,000 a year,21 grand
sounds ok to me. The last firefighters strike had a major part in
getting the Thatcher government elected,condemning us to 18 years
of Tory anti-union legislation.Make no mistake,when they get back
in,and they will,we will all be hammered again.This will lead to the
weaker unions members, who havn`t got the industrial muscle of the
fire fighters, suffering massive cuts in terms and conditions of employment
again. I believe this strike is a short sighted and cynical attempt
to cash in on 9/11 and its aftermath. Yes you should be paid more
but don`t get greedy.Tory Blair and co might not be up to much but
the alternative is far worse.Don`t forget the lessons of history!!
From
A Bridgewater in Stockport
No, the strike reflects greed and a lack of concern for others.
I value the work they do and have every admiration for them except
in relation to their industrial action. They should return to work
and instruct their union representatives to enter sensible nogotiations.
They need to move into the 21st century!
From
Trevor in Norley
YES - THE FIRE SERVICE SHOULD MODERNISE. also Manchester should
have a third runway and actively seek to accommodate more direct flights,
particularily long haul flights - not everyone wants to be routed
via London.
From
LC
Yes I back the strike because these people put their lives on
the line everyday so why shouldn't they be paid for it, no one else
puts themselves at risk in the same way they do
From
John in New Rochelle, New York, USA.
I believe that the firefighters demand of 40% pay hike is out
of line. I understand that their basic salary is twenty two thousand
pounds per year. That converts to US$ thirty three thousand a year.
Not a bad salary for either side of the Atlantic. If they cannot manage
their finances, then they need some form of counselling in that area.
Remember, while I agree that the job can be very dangerous, these
people spend a lot of time sitting around waiting for a call, and
they are paid for that. How many of you are paid just to sit around?
Next, they get plenty of time off, so let them do what many firefighters
do who I know, and that is GET ANOTHER JOB.Many who I know work in
bars, or do painting and decorating for private homeowners etc. It
seems to me that that the firemen should be thoroughly ashamed of
themselves by their blatant disregard for the safety of the British
public. Do they really think that they will evoke much sympathy for
their unrealistic cause? My personal feelings are that if they persist
with this outrage, then the Blair government should FIRE THEM.
From
DARREN MOSELEY in prestwich
No i dont back them .They new the pay and the dangers of the job
when they started.I Think they have been given a good offer.I hope
the goverment dont crack and stick to yhe offer they have made.I agree
thst the firefighters are intitled to a rise but make it realistic.And
if there so hard done by why is the waiting list to get in the fire
brigade so big?
From
Barbara Betts in Hadfield Glossop Derbyshire
Can't
believe some of the comparisons being made!! Who the hell could compare
a Footballers wage to a fireman? Footballers wages are paid out of
fans pockets--not the taxpayers..!! And if the poor fans want to make
the footballers rich..that is up to them!! They're the idiots who
do it I DO NOT agree with this strike at all - i supported them last
time as they were then on a low wage..not this time. Now it is pure
greed and they think they can win by putting all the blame on the
government and holding the public to ransom...trying to make us feel
sorry for them....SORRY LADS IT AIN'T WORKING!! I have not spoken
to one person who supports this strike..I really think they need to
look at themselves, they have a job that pays well (a little more
would be deserved,) for every vacancy there are hundreds of applications!!
Can't be so bad eh? Not all jobs that they are called out to is a
life and death situation, on average it can be monotonous waiting
around for a call. Meanwhile they watch tele, sleep, play games, videos
etc..etc.. how many of us get paid for doing that????? I wouldn't
mind their wages either for doing talks to kids in school or safety
checks in homes or offices-- i've seen it done...a piece of cake.
What are the averages of one station (unless they are in a city centre)
dealing on a daily basis with a MAJOR call-out, against sitting around
waiting for something to happen? I would love to get an average against
time on a shift and time in that shift actually dealling with fires
(not little ones either) or major incedents..bet its not that much
in some cases..then there's the fact that they can do other jobs...and
don't tell me its because they HAVE TO. Its because in most cases
they get bored with the time at home. Hospital staff are needed more
than ever now!! Do they go on strike? Nursing homes are closing every
day--would they (Fireservice) give some of their wage to keep them
open or help? COME LADS GET IT TOGETHER AND GET BACK TO WORK YOU'RE
LOSING OUR VOTES AND SYMPATHY AS TIME GOES ON ------FROM SOMEONE WHO
USE TO B! E ON YOUR SIDE--NOT ANY MORE....
From
- Steve Sutherland in Little Hulton
The
men and women of the fire service risk their lives several times a
day every day. It's reported that they earn around £20,000 per year
which is double my salary as a bus driver. But can there really be
a price put on all those lives that are being put in jeopardy??? There
should be no arguments. 30% is optimistic 16% is an insult. If funding
a reasonable pay increase means paying an extra £20 - £30 per year
council tax, well then send me the bill it's worth it. And with a
reported £64 billion going to foreign aid every year....shouldn't
we be sorting our own problems out with that money first? Come on
Mr Blair, you're supposed to be running this country don't you think
it's time you got your priorities right and sort our Country out?
From
Mark Grimshaw in Leigh
they should settle for the modernisation and be happy, they will get
1.5 % in the first year and more after that, this is a damn site more
than anyone else has been offered and they should be grateful. Other
public sector workers have settled for 4 % why can't they, by doing
this they are putting families at risk.
From
M Campbell in Rochdale
£30,000 a year for: being able to keep standing when squirting a high
pressure hose; climbing ladder while wearing wellies; cleaning a fire
engine; being able to sleep during the night shift; being prepared
to let people die just so they can get paid more. Sack the lot of
them and start again. I notice one strike is due to end on Christmas
Eve. Double time for Christmas Day and Boxing Day?
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