Fireshirkers' Strike - 20 March
 

A 24-hour firefighters' strike is on for 20 March 2003. Good luck everyone on Fresco. Show the lazy, loafing, loudmouthed shirkers they can't hold the country to ransom.

http://images.thetimes.co.uk/TGD/pic...,,66855,00.gif

Did anybody else see Lord Andy Gilchrist's reply when questioned about the timing of this next strike with regard to impending war?
"We're not at war yet and my job is to represent the interests of the firefighters."
What a thoroughly arrogant, ignorant chap he is.
I suppose when we do go to war we'll just pitch up on the day? Arse. Forgot Saddam, let's go after this tool.....

Bunch of wasters - as if our military isn't stretched enough sorting out problems.

Gilchrist is living in the 80s.

B-L

----------------------------

By the way - it is worth noting that the FBU in this context doesn't mean the Flight briefing Unit based at Heathrow tower. In fact, a piece of grafiti seen the other day said "Support the FBU........send more flight plans!!!":) (well it made me laugh)

I believe that some of the 'row' is about efficiencey pay.
How does a fireman become more efficient. Is it better to put out a lot of fires or no fires per shift.....
and how does the fireman control this?

I think that a fireman's efficiency is determined by how much time they spend in the stn gym honing their egos per shift interspersed with random jaunts around their local town in their big shiny engines to show their heroism with the young ladies.

They really are a sad bunch of ignorant w@nkers with the most Scargillite trade union leader giving it the big 'un about working class rhetoric. Andy Gil(anti)christ is a first rate **** who should shut up and realise that no one gives a **** about their "cause".

Just out of interest how many people driving past the fire stns honking their horns are doing out of support or purely to say get back to work you malingering gits.

Maybe we should have sent the fire strike pickets to Iraq as human shields. Two birds with one stone and all that.

To the guys doing Fresco, you deserve a medal.

One of our Fresco lads was told by someone higher in the CCO chain that if he was spoken to by the press, he absolutely must not mention how much time they sit around doing sod-all - it might 'politicize' the dispute and make the Forces look as if they were taking sides!

When this all first started I was with the fire brigade. However they have turned down a 16% payrise. Yes 16%. The rest of us would give our right arm for a 16% payrise. And a strike at this time with the military at full stretch and serious risk of terror attack?

Sorry this time I will not toot my car horn. I will stop, wind down the window and tell the lazy f&6$ers to get back to work. I have no time for Mr Gilchrist and it appears the Government has none either. Good.

I am not "pro" the firefighters, and I don't like Mr Gilchrist. But what exactly are the details of the package they have been offered? Everyone seems to concentrate on the 16%. Is that a 16% increase in their hourly/daily pay, or annual. If it a 16% annual rise, but as a result of modernisation they work 20% more, on more efficient shift patterns (and let me make it plain that I think they get too much time off at the moment!!), then they are actually faced with effectively a PAY CUT.

I am sure this is not actually the case, but can anybody provide the facts for a bear with a very small brain please?

Edited because I have just seen I have reached a milestone in terms of number of posts - my favourite number!!! (It was 69!)

bggus has hit a nail on a cliche

16% is over three years do your maths the rest of you please

you are all however correct lazy sods but still paid too little as all you guys and girls are

thanks for all the people doing there bit at this time us civis are indebited

Don't forget, they strike for one day, we lose manpower for 5-6 days so that kit can be pre-positioned/withdrawn etc. Applications for firefighters jobs are very heavily over-subscribed, why, because it is tough and underpaid, I don't think so. Will they strike if the press are all concentrating on the Middle East? Did Andy Gilcrest spend all that money on a curry for him and his mates? Get back to work Pew, Pew, Barney McGrew etc, then you can sort my garden/decorating out on your days off. :mad: :mad: :mad:

They are certainly losing public support as this drags on - Gilchrist has led them down a path that I feel they may eventually regret. A light blue colleague's sister-in-law is a firefighter - she claims that she does not agree with the strike, but being a union member, is still putting her feet up next Thursday. The real downside for her is that she is being treated like a lepper in her village and is being ignored in shops etc, or, to put it another way, being treated like an Englishman in North Wales. I have come across a number of shops that no longer serve firefighters in uniform! Even when the strike is over, firefighters will have lost the respect of large portions of this country.

Who's going to do all the delivering of folk stationed in Cornwall to Scotland and those stationed in Scotland to Cornwall? Not us this time, we've got no planes left...

1. Invoke emergency powers. Sorry, was going to post something calm and reasoned, but couldn't be arssed.

Of course, there is a precedent for strikes in wartime, as the dockers proved in the last one. Self-serving cretins. But, to inject an element of balance, a lot of trumptonites are ex-forces, I would hope their collective conscience would dictate their actions.

2. WEBF , good news on the reservist thing chap. Drop me a line , let me know how it's going. Hope you're being all you can be right now.

Regards

Solo

It's only just dawned on me - has anybody else noticed the date that the gits have chosen to go on strike? It's only North Sea Airspace Carnage Day! As if we don't have enough to put up with on that day!

Utter utter b@#$ards

I am sure that really bothers the Army and Navy guys on Fresco - get real!!!

I'm sure it doesn't actually bother the RAF guys either. I was merely pointing out that the biggest change in airspace for over 25 years (in fact possibly ever) is happening on Thursday. Since this is supposed to be a professional aviation forum, I thought I might mention it.

I take nothing away from the guys on Fresco - they're doing a fantastic job.

BTW did anybody else hear the shadow Defence Secretary on Today this am - basically accused the FBU of being Iraqi sympathisers and deliberately organising a strike to disrupt the armed forces

Sack them all and then offer them re-employment under a new contract.....

just a thought mind you, just a thought

I would like to point out that I don't support the Firemens timing this time BUT

1) They are allowed to go on strike when they want, the union members having jumped through the myriad of hoops required in order to actually strike.

2) It isn't really only about money, they are more terrified of the "Modernisation process" required. Having been thru a number of modernisation processes myself,(Peace Dividend, Front Line First and the SDR to name but three)I don't blame them for obstructing it.

3) The fact that the services are overstretched and about to go to war simply ISN'T Gilchrists problem, it's the Governments problem. Whilst most of us on this forum may support the war with Iraq a huge section of our society in the UK doesn't. Gilchrist is no more anti war than any one else!!

4) And finally, ANYONE who makes life more difficult for Blair and Co gets my respect and admiration.

To all the guys on Fresco, chins up, at least your not in the Gulf!!

Just to add a little historical perspective. I seem to remember reading a book about the Battle of Britain years ago that said that in the summer of 1940, during the height of the Battle, when there was a real fear that Britain was about to be invaded, there were over 1 million people on strike in Britain - including vital dock workers.

I could be wrong, I am sure somebody out there can confirm/deny this (where is ORAC when you need him?). However, if it is true a great example of non patriotic industrial action!! Dunkirk spirit eh!?


Edited for P.S

P.S SpotterFC

Thursday may be the biggest change in 25 years for your piece of turf, but for many/most of us I expect it is only one area we operate. As an obvious example, a third of my flying in the last 12 months has been done east of Cyprus - before recent events - a proportion that can only go up (and I am nothing special/unusual!). Suggest that for most aviators reading this Thursday 20th will be just another day in the office/cockpit/cab/Green Goddess!!

Monday 17th.....
 

Quite a self-centred query here, but if some one could enlighten me I would be very grateful.

What impact will the Strike have? Particularly on low flying and especially tomorrow (Monday)? We are heading into LFA7 first thing Monday to photograph low flying round the Loop.

Many thanks

Chris

And to every one on Fresco, keep up the good work…