A doff my cap to the fire brigade union though, at least they stand upto being shafted by the gov't and are trying to stop their service deteriorate.
1. They are just looking to receive a pension which is twice the value of that which their payments should get them i.e. we the taxpayers have to fund.
2. They want to receive it when they stop working rather than doing what everyone else does - work until (at least) 60 and then receive that pension. Nobody says they have to be fireman once they cannot meet the fitness requirements. They can continue their second jobs for the last decade.
3. They want to be be paid to have staff levels at night even though the workload is only one third of the daytime workload, or should I say they want to sleep and get paid two thirds of the time.
Yes, its all about the service deteriorating and nothing to do with wanting the gravy train to continue.
There are far more dangerous occupations in the UK as the firemen are well trained and don't die very often.More folks probably die working on building sites these days. papers were comparing them with the police or military which you guys should be up in arms about. Fireman are trained to not give their lives .
Its us taxpayers who are getting shafted by the fireman.