When the nurses, who work much longer hours for far less pay, go on strike then I might have some sympathy for firefighters.
I know you've been f***ed over by the Govt and your employers but when all is said and done you get well paid and are well protected from 'employer abuses' like mandatory overtime, chronic understaffing and extra responsibilities without pay.
You put out fires and cut people out of crashed cars - not pleasant work for the squeamish but I'd rather do that than wipe patient's a*ses and mop up vomit, all whilst being abused by violent p*ssheads.
You were led up the garden path by the ambitious Gilchrist and the thought of £30K and had the luxury of knowing the military would try to pick up the pieces when you went on strike. Soldiers who spent months in the Gulf were confined to barracks instead of enjoying well earned leave with their families just because the FBU threatened strike action - how sympathetic do you think they were to your cause?
Barring injury (for which you are well compensated and get a pension) you have a job for life in the Fire Brigade - how many others have that sort of job security?
I suggest you consider yourselves very lucky and just get on with it and stop whinging.