A guarantee of no job losses, a pledge to keep all fire stations open and no reduction in the number of frontline fire appliances, on top of promises to retain a family friendly shift system for firefighters is still not enough for blinkered Essex FBU officials, who yesterday called on County crews to strike said fire boss David Johnson.
Mr Johnson said: “Local militants, remain in denial about what is happening around them and have been dangling the threat of a strike over the Essex Community for more than three years, refusing to wake up to the pain and hardship being suffered across the country as a result of the dire economic climate.
“Almost three years ago to the day, Chief Fire Officer David Johnson warned firefighters not to be duped by these hard-liners, reminding them of ECFRS’ continued investment in the frontline and a range of new voluntary initiatives aimed at putting more money in their pockets.
Today (Friday), a bemused CFO Johnson said it was absolutely incredulous and thoroughly irresponsible for the FBU to be balloting for a strike.
And he warned crews of the likely public backlash should the vote go the union’s way. “We’ve watched the goal posts move on an almost daily basis for more than three years now,” said CFO Johnson. “I announced this plan for a ballot last week and was derided for jumping the gun when all the FBU wanted to do was talk. Three years ago, I warned firefighters that they would be sleepwalking into disaster if they followed the FBU into a ballot because it’s becoming increasingly clear as time goes on that nothing short of a strike will appease these militants.
“To be pulling this kind of stunt ahead of the Olympics is simply mindless and I am certain that the majority of our workforce will see this ballot for what it is – another stunt. The community has always held firefighters in very high regard and – this kind of action only serves to damage their professionalism and that affection.
“With everyone pulling in their belts, major high street names closing their doors, friends, neighbours and colleagues losing their jobs on a daily basis, it’s difficult to see how any right-minded person could support this action with the level of guarantees Essex firefighters have been offered by this Fire Authority.”
CFO Johnson described FBU claims about cuts to frontline services and new crewing arrangements as totally alarmist and without foundation. “It is totally hypocritical to make these claims while the union continues to oppose new initiatives designed to make more fire engines available and to strengthen ECFRS’ response,” he said.
“The Service currently funds the FBU to the tune of some £100,000 plus to carry out its work – perhaps the public would rather we spent this on firefighters. It would equate to an additional three wholetime firefighters, yet we don’t see them offering to give that up in the interests of public safety.”
CFO Johnson said the public should be reassured that their safety will not be compromised in the event of a strike. Because the dispute has been running for so long, ECFRS has well developed and tested plans to provide ‘999’ cover for the County should crews vote to walk out of the door. “I am not expecting to have to initiate these plans as I think the majority of our workforce will see this latest exercise for what it actually is – a threat designed to convince us to take a backward step and to return to outdated and inefficient practices of the past.
“The FBU has got to wake up to the need for change. Suggestions that we have refused to consult or negotiate are ridiculous – only days ago we offered to bring in third party arbitrators to assist in bringing the dispute to an end, only to be met with another list of strings and conditions designed to ensure those talks never got to the table.
“For the last few years we have been asking the FBU to bring to the table ideas and initiatives that would take us all to the place we need to get to, only to be met with a wall of silence.
“Despite the fact that this ongoing dispute has prevented firefighters from acting up into temporary promotions or working overtime, our workforce has remained dedicated and committed to maintaining public services. I know from station visits that there is little appetite for strike action and it’s time the union stood back and listened to its members.”
According to the union’s notification to the Service, the ballot will open on May 16 with the results due on June 13. By law, the FBU would then need to give seven days notice of any strike action.
Well said Mr Johnson, it is the attitudes of the Militant Socialist Unions that have dragged this country down over the past couple of decades, they do not live in the real world and constantly pull the threat of strike action at every juncture, the Union bosses couldnt really give a flying hoot about everyone else as they are being paid a top salary with great pension deals and the sooner people wake up to this fact the better.
I used to be a Branch Secretary of a major union until I actually saw behind the scenes of what the top people actualy did and how they treated their co-workers, my eyes were certainly opened.
Sounds like your also describing most politicians Lambo!
You are not wrong there jmw118 🙂
Thank God there are people like Mr Johnson working in the Essex Fire Service who have their feet firmly on the ground and not in cloud cuckoo like many of these union leaders.