• Housing costs and living costs in the Region

• Pension attacks and possible commutation changes

• Lack of pension rights for non-married partners

• High turnover of uniformed staff in the next few years

• The Area being used as a ‘training’ police force for the rest of the country as people leave

• Retention of staff (180 in and 179 out in the last year)

• Government under funding of the public sector

• Health and safety issues around any strike action in the fire service

• No pay adjustment without ‘modernisation’

• Lack of proper radio systems and numbers of control staff

Our colleagues in the police face demands for more non-uniformed staff (sound familiar?) and the fear is that this will be at the expense of skilled uniformed staff.

One of the last speakers was a P.C. who had served 6 months and couldn’t manage on his basic wage of £25,000 a year. Interviewed for TV afterwards he expressed the same problems as we face though of course our members after 6 months are paid just £17,982 a year.

This does not mean the police are paid too much. They are not paid enough by any means. However what it does show is how far we have to come to ensure our pay is fair.

We have a mandate of 87.6% for strike action if there is no action on pay for all members and a formula to maintain a fair rate of pay.

We need to ensure we are not divided as public sector workers. Why is it when we ask for fair pay it is greed, but in the private sector it is need? We are, like other workers in the Police, Education and Health, not greedy but needy.

I have done this job for 20 years, taken my promotions exams, been promoted and take responsibility for Firefighters on and off the fireground. I do all the additional paperwork, deal with problems and carry the can if thing go wrong. Yet after all those years and having been promoted the most I can get as a mortgage on my pay is £72,000. The smallest bed-sit in my town this month costs more than that and I have a partner and three children.

The problems facing us are not simply due to high house prices however. The changes in our job and our extended skills have not been recognised. Just as they have not been recognised fully in the Police, among Health Service workers, or in Education.

If we do not get a substantial rise and attain the rate of pay we have said from the start is a fair rate then we will continue in the downward spiral we are in.

Our EC took the collective, united decision to suspend the 8 days strike due to start tomorrow. It matters little now who did what where and when. The decision to wait to see what the employers come up with in negotiations with Andy Gilchrist, Ruth Winters and Mike Fordham is the one we must abide by no matter what our personal feelings. Such is democracy.

We have a membership who by 9 to 1 voted to take whatever action was needed to secure a fair rate of pay and a sustainable one. 100% of our membership know we are underpaid and more importantly our employers have said so. Yet our employers must be judged by their actions not their words.

Members in West Sussex are to be balloted over the dismissal of Sister Denise Bradley, on the grounds of capability. Sister Bradley works in the Emergency Fire Control and was on certified sick leave (and pregnant) when the fire authority issued her with a dismissal notice in September. If the employers do not rescind the dismissal, the ballot will begin on 14th November and end on the 28th November. Strike Action could commence as early as 5th December. Is this dismissal the type of ‘Modern’ fire service practice the employers want? They tell us ‘modernisation’ means a fairer fire service. Is this action a demonstration of what fairness means to them?

We now await the outcome of today’s talks and no doubt further discussions tomorrow and the rest of the week.

If no offer is made which is acceptable by the 13th November then regrettably from 18:00 that evening we will see the first national strike in 25 years and only the second national strike in the entire history of the British Fire Service. Hardly the record of militants!

Whatever the outcome of the talks and whatever offer is made we must remain united and go forward in solidarity.

One Union, One Voice, One Pay Rate.

Dean Mills
Regional Secretary

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you have any queries or want any more information please contact me on:

Mob: 07956 502585

Regional Office: 01494 513034

email:deanmills@hotmail.com