THE ROLE of vanguard fighters against government pay restraint is not new to the Fire Brigades In the autumn and winter of 1977, wage militancy among the fire fighters ran into conflict with Phase 3 of Labour chancellor Dennis Healey's sublic sector workers to a 10% inThe pay limit had been imposed by Labour with full parliamentary support from David Steel's Liberal party. sagor to exploit the openings from Jim Callaghan's right wing government. Callaghan was attracting praise for his stand on pay from right wingers including the Sunday Telegraph's Peregrine Worsthorne, who declared him the best Prime Minister since Churchil!
30 percent claim The fire-fighters, who had sunk far down the pay league, demanded a 30 percent increase, to bring an average relighter up to C86 for a standard 48-hour wook.
Militancy and sell confidence was talks followed on miltant struggles by roro workers a by ocolst loay drivers, both of which secured settloments in excess of 10 percent.
A strike wave was developing, including Rols Royce workers (who stayed out wiree monts), Vauxnails and a continuing fight by power At the beginning of November despite opposition from General Secretary Terry Parry against by the FBU executive frefighters voted for a national strike. Parry immediately dencunced the decision as tragic", and began talking of a settlement involving simply a promise of extra money in the folowing pay round.
Mass scabbing
Labour's Home Secretary Merlyn Ress promply declared that 12,000 untrained troops, driving ansquated "green goddess' fire tenders would scab on the strike - the biggost state scabbing oporation since the 1926 goneral sue.
As the firefighters took solid action, TUC leaders reading oner unions with claims outstanding al stepped smartly back to leave 1 20 FBU lated.
NUPE postponed any decision, then ignored a ballot voto for strike action by 1 million local counci while the NUM alsc retreated on a £135 per wook daim for miners.
To rub salt into the wounds, the TUC in December called on the FBU to accept a 10 percent increase and return to work -even while Labour ministers, in cahoots with right wing union chiels, prepared a Phase 4 or wage controls, to include a permanent pay board.
New formula During December a formula was proposed which would give the arenomers an тоно вотеч от 10 percent followed by guaranteed increases to put them and keep them in the top 25 percent of skiled male manual earnings. This was rejected. Tines, in which the strength of labour movement support for the firefighters sad grown dramatically the TUC oted 20-17 against backing for thei strike, with the TGWU delegason spit three ways and others dotying con.
In January. Terry Parry eventualy won the day for acceptance of the deal which had proviously been rejected. FBU militants denounced cient immediate cash on the table.
Boost
But in retrospect the guarantood link with top earnings has turned out to be a major boost to the living stand. ards of FBU members.
No wonder firefighters, whose union was transformed by the dispute and is now led by a relatively left wing eadership headed by Ken Cameron, are so overmined to protect des pay formula against Norman Lamont's brutal pay freeze. , Non-EC Europe: 1 year £20 Q Six months £11 O Rest of the world: 1 year £24 O Six months £13 O ' I include a donation of 2. I Name. I Address Send to Socialist Outlook, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU Probably the best Trotskyist paper in the world Subscribe to Socialist Outlook | EC Europe (including Britain): 1 year (24 issues): E15 O Six months (12 issues): £8 Q No. 40 April, 1993
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