Wanna Argument?
The Firefighters' Dispute: Fanning the Flames?
Who Won the Fight?
The FBU leader Andy Gilchrist said:
"It is not a victory or a defeat. We still believe our members are worth £30 000, but I believe that £25 000 by next July is a decent settlement."
A Government spokesperson said:
"We believe this was the right decision and the best way to resolve this long-running dispute."
So both sides appear to be satisfied; but let's look at some details:
- Government spent more than £125 million fighting the dispute.
- Up to 19 000 troops operated the emergency service.
- Hundreds of police assisted.
The more radical proposals of the Bain review were dropped, but some reforms will happen:
- End to the ban on scheduled overtime.
- Reductions in night shifts.
- Some control rooms to be merged.
- Pay negotiating model to be changed.
- Modernised recruitment procedures.
What Did the Bain Report Say About the Future of the Fire Service?
Bain envisaged a future with more focus on fire prevention and less concentration on responding to incidents:
"Too many people still die as a result of fires in the UK. We do not compare well with other countries, and we have made little or no progress in recent years in driving down the threat of fire and other accidents....This is not just a Fire Service responsibility; it is one for the whole community."
Some Statistics:
Full-time firefighters:- 33,000
Retained firefighters:- 12,000
Fire Engines:- Nearly 2,300
Fire Service Callouts:- Over 900,000
False Alarms:- Over 460,000
Deaths from fire:- Nearly 600