uncle buck

Anyone who is prepared to risk lives and property of others for personal finanicial gain is not fit to be in the public service, in any role.[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

All strikers should be dismissed forthwith and replaced by new recruits.[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Gilchrist should face criminal action for manslaughter if anyone dies as a result of his actions.[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

[Edited by uncle buck - 11/13/2002 6:02:13 PM]

Mungo

It's simple market forces at work - if 40 people apply for each job, the job is already properly remunerated. As people have said above over and over, the firefighters knew the pay when they took the job. If they've let the pay fall way below market rate in the last few years (and the above statistic shows they haven't) then their union is to blame.
UK unemployment is the lowest in Europe (and probably all OECD countries) so it's not like we've got millions of desperados who'll do any job for any money.
In this market economy you get paid what you're worth. If the employers don't pay the going rate, staff leave and they can't re-recruit. This isn't the case in the Fire Brigade. They're paid the market rate and I'm sorry to see that the union is trying it on in the wake of Sept 11th.
I know it's going to an extreme, but in the 19th century, chimney sweeps and miners didn't get paid stacks because they did dangerous jobs...

mbc

yeh yeh yeh not paid enough, thats bollox, what about the police dont see them getting extra danger money or striking,these fireman need to be sorted out.

besides my views i do value what they do , but they cant **** with someones life,cos thats what they are doing, people will die,its not blair who should be out there putting the fires out and isnt which is resulting in people be killed

the army are real 'HEROS' today

scoob_dood

I think the only ponit they seem to have is based around the cost of living in major cities - there is no doubt that the cost of living in London (for example) has gone up, and beyond the means of most firefighters - and with that in mind they should be eligible for some sort of living allowance.

Other than that, they had their eyes open when they joined, and trying to ransom the country for a pay rise is nothing short of rediculous

(all imho)

- Jon

Dave P

The good news for us in Canary Wharf is that the Canary Wharf Management have a fire engine and a landrover at their disposal!!!

But seriously, things that have iritated me are:

-How did they get 40% behind
-Why do the London fire fighters bleat on about not being able to live in London. I work here and I have a 3 hour daily commute.
-They have been offered twice inflation this year and three times inflation next year.
-I believe fire fighting to be less dangerous now than ever before, with ever improving building safety. the risks diminish with each old building that gets demolished or modernised
-I think those that do the night shifts should have to stay awake and not sleep. I certainly don't get paid for sleeping.
-Each fire fighter should have to make an annual declaration that they don't moonlight and if they do, tax should be charged on it!

Also I would like to see salaries negotiated by region. It is ludicrous that a firefighter in the south east (the most expensive place to live) gets paid the same as one in Cornwall.

Maybe I'm particularly unsympathetic at the moment because these people have effectively jobs for life, are able to get full FINAL SALARY pensions at 55 when at the moment as a 'fat cat' city worker all I have seen over the last 12 months are a lot of friends being made redundant with few job opportunities out there. I spoke with one this morning who is half expecting this news.

Some people really don't know when they are well off.

Dave

popeye

It's actually quite a difficult job Pete, as my Dad and his mates found out in the seventies. I'm sure you idiots will be happy to explain your opinion of them when you're being cut free from your souped up Subaru or dragged from a burning building. And what the **** has the 'market economy' got to do with the fire brigade? What other employer can they go and work for? And just because there are people who would like to be a fireman as a career, why does that mean that the people already in the industry should be paid **** all? And as for them not getting paid because they sleep on night shift...I ****ing give up.

uncle buck

not a very convincing defence....

Still, as you've given up I suppose it doesn't matter really.

popeye

And sacking the entire brigade and replacing them with raw recruits is a convincing solution? How come you don't think they're worth a decent wage, but you're bleating because they're not working?

uncle buck

I didn't say that. I said sack the strikers.

Didn't say that either. 4 days on 4 days off. So thier 22K is actually equivanlant to 44K - not bad for only working between 5 and 15% of the time on duty.

To me it is them doing the bleating. I have listened to what they have to say and I don't agree with it. Thier sense of values have been twisted and manipulated by a hardcore of far left union militants, but they don't seem to realise it [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

popeye

So they can go to their bank to apply for a mortgage and state that really they earn 44k? I don't understand your maths - they work a 42 hour week. How does that equate to 44k?? "Sense of values"?? What, you mean wanting a decent wage for risking their lives? What a bunch of warped individuals they are.

popeye

Back of the net!

uncle buck

yep - your own

MATTeL

--- edit because I got confused and misread something ---

[Edited by MATTeL - 11/12/2002 4:39:52 PM]