1 It does not guarantee the watch based system of work nor that individuals will be working from a single station let alone a watch.

2 It makes the teamwork and team building which is an integral part of the Fire Service and safety far harder to establish and maintain

3 Firefighters have had no pay adjustment since 1977 and no pay rise AT ALL since November 2001

4 The pay offer available now is 1/10th the figure INDEPENDENT research stated as being fair

5 NO FIREFIGHTER or CONTROL OPERATOR is guaranteed any level of increase at all in future

6 A Fire Authority member in the Region called the offer ‘completely fair’ and stated that as servants of the public we should not only remember we are servants and be grateful for the offer, but remember we have a pension the public would die for. Not only is the offer unfair once looked into but we do not joke about people dieing. They will if control staff and firefighter numbers are cut.

7 The offer talks about life loss. Our job is to try and save EVERY life not to set a figure on the percentage we should accept will die

8 The offer states we can only be in dispute with our employers IF they agree it is a dispute.

9 There will be no discipline regulations just codes and practices like those being used already to sack firefighters made ill by the very people who then sack them. What’s modern about that?

10 The offer talks about a risk based approach yet the same people who support it say the fire cover review, although risk based, was not what they wanted as it meant greater public protection.

11 The offer gives staff two days off a week. Great. It fails to mention though what days, what hours, what shifts, what station, what watches, what divisions, what shift pattern progression, and what averaged time scale will all have to fit around those ‘two days off’

12 The employers had 5 weeks to come up with a substantial offer which they agreed to so that strikes could be suspended and negotiations take place. This offer is not substantial and is in fact a backward step from previous positions.

13 There is talk about injunctions at present. I am not sure how people take out injunctions against the Government for their actions but we are looking into it.

14 Employers I have spoken to are most certainly NOT united and not happy with the Governments position despite what individuals members of some fire authorities may state in meetings. A statement in public which could be challenged would be welcome so their propaganda can be challenged.

15 We want a settlement not a strike. Let’s hope sense prevails by the government before the 19th March.

Mob: 07956 502585

Regional Office: 01494 513034

email:deanmills@hotmail.com