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The Firefighters' Dispute: Fanning the Flames?

How do you handle a dispute with a group of workers who are widely admired for their skill and bravery? How would you balance the need to be seen to be fair, with the urge to modernise a vital public service? These and many other questions faced employers and the Government during the recent (2002-03) industrial action by UK firefighters. In this 'Argument', we look back over the dispute and some of the business and economic issues it highlighted.

Out of the frying pan.

Into the fire.

	So what do you reckon, then? The firefighters' strikes are over - a climbdown or a result?
			Whatever happened to 'firemen'? They were so stroppy about their pay weren't they? They realised in the end they wouldn't get what they were after.
	They didn't do so badly. A big pay rise after just 15 days striking, with war on Iraq, SARS, economic downturn - not bad was it?
			Fifteen days was it? Seemed to go on a bit longer than that.

How long did the dispute last?

			They didn't even know what they were fighting over? This gets worse the more I hear about it!
	Calm down! I think the point is that the dispute started out being about pay, but widened into being about the future of the whole fire service.
			No wonder the firemen - sorry, firefighters - were up in arms. The whole future of their service was at risk!
	Well not quite! Maybe it's just fallen behind the times a bit.

Are the FBU Firefighters Right to be Alarmed?

			Wasn't enough to keep them off the picket lines, was it?
	Not when the FBU wanted a one-off 40% wage rise!
			Are they badly off, then, compared to firefighters across Europe?

Are UK Firefighters Worse Off Than Their European Counterparts?

	Seems they want to be paid according to living costs in the region where they live.
			Anything wrong with that?
	Not unless they don't want to give up collective bargaining.
			You what?

How is public sector pay agreed?

	Maybe that's what firefighters are 'weighting' for?
			Don't start that now!
	Anything else you want to know?
			As it happens, yes. You often get these disputes being sorted out because the workers get frustrated or they run out of money and end up going back to work anyway. Were the firefighters all behind their union?
	They seemed to be supportive. But the danger was that they'd get split into two groups: one more hard-line and the other more moderate.

Are There Divisions Amongst Firefighters?

			Who came out of the dispute well?
	Well, some firefighters blamed the Government and called on the FBU to stop supporting the Labour party. Others blamed the FBU leaders for giving in to pressure from the politicians
			But let's face it, you'd be pretty chuffed if you were a firefighter.
	Maybe, maybe not. Depends on your point of view.

Who Won the Fight?