 |
||
 |
||
| pay campaign 2002 | ||
| To: ALL MEMBERS SOUTHERN
REGION From: DEAN MILLS MEMBERS UPDATE: 17th NOVEMBER 2002 Last night there was a crash on the M25 attended by members in the region form Bucks and Berkshire. Over 30 people were injured and 5 killed. The incident was, as all members will understand, a protracted and difficult one the detail of which, like so much of our work, cannot be placed on a web site which we want left open for all the public to access. It is a great pity that some of the press and TV failed to mention the fact that Firefighters were there or the rescues they made. In light of recent reporting one must wonder why they are so selective on what they report. It seem it is OK for them to say two firefighters went to Iraq two years ago but not that we went to new York and raised thousands of pounds for our brothers and sisters killed on September 11th. It is fair it seems to say we are greedy yet no paper reports that the ‘offer’ on retained pay of 4% equates to a 0.6p an hour rise in the annual retaining fee. Its fair for the press to report what photographs hang on a wall, but not newsworthy to report the fact that the Fire Cover Review has been shelved. There is of course an assumption here that the British media is fair. How silly of me to think that they might treat Firefighters any differently to anyone else they report on. To the reporter who rang from the Tabloid newspaper this morning at 02:56 for an interview on the strike we are trying to avoid but who wasn’t interested in those killed on the motorway; next time you ring please think about what your job is and should be and can you be at least able to string more than two sentences together with a degree of sobriety. On Frost today the Deputy Prime Minister said when asked about the ‘offer’ “ If they don’t like it they can walk out” Does Mr Prescott not read the news?! Some other things came up in the interview too. John Prescott said “We will always do what is necessary for public safety” Thanks John when can we get back to work with a fair wage coming in then as that is all it will take to keep your promise made on live TV. On our Pay Adjustment Prescott said “Its £500,000,000 and we don’t have that sort of money. Well Cap Gemini Ernst and Young don’t agree with you Mr Prescott on the costs and you have the money at the drop of a hat if its to bail out electricity companies and to buy bombs and bullets. You also have the money to store helicopters which don’t work it seems, and to repair battleships run aground. Mr Prescott also said “I will always be motivated by the sanctity of life” That’s commendable. But what of the refusal to save more lives by doing what we have asked for by moving to a life based fire service? What about the risk to Firefighters lives by understaffing? What about the risk to the public by the ridiculous call for less firefighters on duty at night when people are most at risk? One thing the Deputy Prime Minister was right on though. He said of Firefighters and Control Staff that we are “Decent people who want a fair deal” That’s being the case I fail to see what he is having trouble with. Will he fail to adjust our pay for the first time in ¼ century because he doesn’t really think we are decent or is it just that he doesn’t really think he should be fair? Eddie George said on the same programme (wonder how that double act just happened to be on) that any rise would mean more unemployment. Isn’t this the same Sir Eddie George who got knighted by the same people who knighted the Bain trio? Tomorrow there is a meeting of the Executive Council following a meeting between the General Secretary and John Prescott. I hope, as do all other firefighters and control staff that there is a sensible position taken by John Prescott. WE DO NOT WANT TO STRIKE NEXT FRIDAY. However nor do we want to be taken for a ride or sold short by anyone. I hope our Employers and the Government do not, in any way, take our continued agreement to talk and negotiate as any sign of weakness or willingness to accept the unacceptable. Fair pay is a professional wage for professional people of all ranks and in all sections of the fire service. As Mr Prescott so rightly said today, watched by millions of people; we are fair, decent people and if we don’t like an offer we can walk. The message back is quite simple. Neither I nor any Firefighter or control operator wants to take any industrial action let alone strike. But as was rightly pointed out on us being fair and his agreement we should walk if there was no fair offer. We are; and we will. Dean Mills
|
||||