Firfighters Strike Over

by Erin go Brach Fri Jun 13, 2003 11:02

Are you sure with your facts here??
I think that the author of this piece maybe is a cop, or a Labour party "hack". Why condemn the Firefighters and the leadership???
After all, the majority accepted the deal on offer, whether we like it or not, but, they are the ones that have to live with it, ......NOT you!!!

by Fire-Fire!!! Fri Jun 13, 2003 11:10

The bould Andy has come in for some serious criticism because of his stance.
One thing I would ask is, how many other union leaders have put it up to Labour in the way that he has???
Unison, GMB, T&G, yes, remember, NJC pay..they sold out 1.3million workers.......they got a crap deal, and said nothing of the antics of Labour.

The FBU and its leadership have been the leading light in industrial dispute with the Tory/Labour government. Dont condemn the FBU.
Congratulate them for at least having the balls to fight!!!

Maybe we would have prefered them to win better, much better, but still, they FOUGHT!!

by Durutti Fri Jun 13, 2003 12:03

I am criticising the leadership which includes the SP. Wow! Now you are a cop if you even suggest that the SP did something wrong in a strike.

by Cheka Fri Jun 13, 2003 14:59

But the Working Class deserve an answer. Why didnt the SP back the minority who wanted to continue the fight? If the SP had put their weight behind the militant FBU wing then they might have won the day.

Surely the SP should have at least fought for a ballot of the entire membership as to whether to continue the strike.

by Irony is dead Fri Jun 13, 2003 16:32

The General Executive has gradually and vociferously ground down the resolve of the rank and file. Gilchrist has danced the tune played by his party - the Labour Party. Not only did he intervene at conference to stop the FBU from refusing to donate to the LP he has also consistently refused to call action or other workers out in solidarity.

The mood for a fight within the FBU and the unprecedented support from outside the union has been squandered. Blair has been handed the butchers knife.

The lesson is clear. Build the rank and file movement in the workplace. The leadership can be as left as they like (and as we would like) however they suffer the same pulls to do rotten deals unless the pressure from below stop them.

Its a pity the leadership in the North have backed Gilchrist 100%, again the rank and file is the key.

As the unofficial site puts it, it's a SELL OUT.

by OK - SP Fri Jun 13, 2003 17:30

This 'news item' is a complete lie.

I'm going to make it clear.

the Socialist Party do not support the sell-out of the FBU leadership.

We beleive that Unions need to have leaderships that are democratic and accountable, and importantly, willing to seriously fight in the interests of their members without sell-out deals.

We think that FBU should dissaffiliate from Labour.

Any ordinary person reading this should have the sense to see that 'Durutti' is a shit-stirrer. And is, for not apparent reason, taken it on himself to attack the Socialist Party.

by Michael O'Brien - SP Fri Jun 13, 2003 17:32

Below is an article by Bill Mullin's industrial organiser of the SP in Britain that appeared in last weeks issue of its newpaper, The Socialist. I don't know how to do links so forgive me for printing it in full.

I did a google search on Andy Brickels and couldn't find anything. His name isn't familiar to me and certainly no articles by firefighter members of the SP appear in his name leading me to doubt he is a member of the party.

At the NIPSA conference SP members successfully moved a motion of support for the Firefighters dispute coupled with a £40,000 donation to the union to assist with the prolonging of the strike effort.

It is true that the SP along with the rest of the left supported Andy Gilchrists candidacy for FBU General Secretary on his programme of leading a pay claim of £30,000 a yearObviously he shifted his position during the course of the dispute and was will to settle for less.

Firefighters' Battle For A Living Wage And To Save The Fire Service
Reject The Deal!
THERE WILL be a third special FBU conference in Glasgow on 12 June, to discuss the latest offer. The London region of the union is recommending rejection of this offer, which will be discussed at branch meetings this week.

By Bill Mullins, Socialist Party industrial organiser

This follows the last special conference where the leadership managed to get the majority of delegates to agree to go into negotiations with the employers on the Burchill proposals.

In a special bulletin, the London region outline why they think this should be rejected. It points out that pay rises "beyond 4% are dependent upon implementation of cuts" it also says that there is no concrete pay formula on the table "beyond 2006".

It points out that the agreement endorses at national level the "end of national standards for fire cover" (ie the arrangement which stops the closure of fire stations and the reduction of staff in effect without the union's agreement).

But the national union also warns of the need at the same time to fight these IRMP proposals (see right) at a local level.

A number of other points about the agreement are also made and the bulletin concludes with the statement that the: "Deal does not provide the sort of detail or guarantees that FBU members require".

Many firefighters after a year long struggle, where twice as many planned strike days were cancelled as actually took place are understandably looking forward to the end of the dispute and the re-establishment of some sort of stability into their working lives.

But it is also clear the government and the local authority employers will use this deal, if it is accepted, to attempt to push through major changes to the way the fire service is run.

This would all be to the firefighters' detriment.

The proposals are a recipe for localised struggles and the danger is that without a national fight, some will be won and some won't. If that is the case, as other groups of workers have found, the employers will try to make lower conditions in some areas the norm for all firefighters.

Of course if the deal were to be accepted, the union must strive to maintain unity in the struggle against any threatened cuts.

However, the deal should be rejected and the campaign for a living wage should be restarted.

by Durutti Fri Jun 13, 2003 18:12

I'm puting this on from the other thread. Just as they lie about the BB. They are now dropping embarassing members in the FBU.

Oisin
A SP member of QUB Students Union Executive;
A Opposed naming a bursary after Pat Finucane.
B Supported naming a bursary after a loyalist
C Supported the British Army having a recruiting stall at a QUB careers day.

This was all discussed on indy. SP members defended his actions. Do you think you can rewrite history?

Domnic Haugh SP;
A Accused the CWM of getting the Airport Police into trouble.
B Defended the AP whenever they were crticised on indy.
C Suggested that the Gardai might fire into an unarmed crowd.

Joe Higgins called GNAW members Virtual Warriors at the same time as ten of them were being arrested.

SP members on indy have implied that the BB have been infiltrated by cops and fascists. If you have any evidence then you should put it before an independent body.

A SP member in the the Times backed the FBU leadership and said the strike should be called off.

I never said you backed loyalist death squads. But in SV you oppose the Holding of a Tribunal into state collusion with loyalist death squads. Are you afraid of what it might uncover?

Is there no end to the SP lies?

by pat c Fri Jun 13, 2003 18:21

If this guy is in the SP then he doesnt seem to in anyway represent the SP line.

I have put M.O.Bs statement on the Irish Left list.

Seeing as the Black Block has raised its head again, I repeat my suggestion. If the SP have any evidence that the Black Block are infiltrated by police then they should it put it before the ICCL for independent assessment.

by Enough Fri Jun 13, 2003 19:16

I have had enough of this sh*t.

Have you guys nothing better to do than sit at a computer all day and fill up practically every message having a go at the SP.

You are making it absolutely pointless for the rest of us. Why should we waste our time reading the same stuff again and again and again and.....

by hunter Sat Jun 14, 2003 17:16

socialists bad

anarchists good

greens escape

go indymedia!