GLENN VORIS interviews Merseyside Fire Brigades Union on the background to the long-running strike action by Merseyside firefighters GV: What's the dispute NT: It started over a f702,000 shortfall in the Merseyside Fire Authority's budget for this year. They decided that the only way to make savings was to cut 20 jobs and take away three days annual leave from every worker.
FBU members refused to accept this vicious attack. A ballot took place and 81 per cent voted for a series of ninehour strikes. These were in August of last year. After a further ballot 90 per cent were in favour of 24-hour strikes.
Despite £2 million of reserves the MFA have constantly argued that there is no money. Liverpool City Council offered the MFA a loan to settle the dispute but they refused it.
We've had several discussions with the MFA but the options they keep coming back with all involve job losses Last year the FBU argued that the authority wouldn't be able to fulfil their statutory duties without applying to the government for further funds. If they had done this the government would have been compelled by law to make up the shortfall and we wouldn't be in the situation we're in now.
After the strike action began the MFA hired twenty-four Green Goddess fire engines and brought in the army to use them. Specialist equipment owned by the authority such as that for tackling chemical fires is not being used. The MFA are putting the public at risk and are breaking the law.
The so-called socialist leader of the MFA, Peter Dowd, makes comments like, "we may even make a profit out of the dispute". The authority has so far spent £1.5 million on trying to break it - twice as much as the shortfall in the budget. This is the economics of the madhouse. GV: Are there any moves within the union to escalate the strike action? NT: We're thinking about changing tack and having a series of two-hour strikes instead of 24-hour strikes. It costs the authority a lot of money to just cover for 2 hours and it causes far more disruption. It also means our members don't lose as much money.
In London and Essex, because of budget cuts there, FBU members are demanding ballots for strike action. The London Fire Authority want to make 700 redundancies and shut six fire stations. If both regions take action it will obviously help us in Merseyside. In Essex members are already taking action by only answering 999 calls.
To highlight government underfunding of the service, we're campaigning for a national 24-hour strike of all firefighters when budgets are set in April. GV: Have you received support from outside of the union? NT: The general public on Merseyside have been very supportive. The Liverpool Daily Post conducted a telephone poll showing that 93% supported our action to protect the
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"The London Fire Authority want to make 700 redundancies and shut six fire stations". Fire fighter protest at FBU London HQ service. So far our members have received hardship payments from the union but we could do with donations from the movement in order to sustain them. NT: Members have been incensed by the intransigence of the MFA. They are determined to win however long it takes. I believe we'll continue our struggle until we achieve a victory.