Workers Revolutionary Party - Further Mersey FBU strike dates

The News Line: News Friday, 22 September 2006 Further Mersey FBU strike dates

Over 7,000 firefighters took part in the recent national demonstration in Liverpool to support the Merseyside FBU dispute

MERSEYSIDE fire crews will be taking a further two four-day blocks of strike action.

The first four days will start at 10.00am on 28 September and finish at 10.00am on 2nd October and the second set of four days will start at 10.00am on 2nd October and finish at 10.00am on 6 October.

The strike is in opposition to proposed cuts which include:

Cutting 120 firefighter posts – one in ten of the workforce – in addition to the 68 posts cut last year;

Introducing a 96 hour week at some fire stations;

Cutting 15 emergency fire control operator posts – one in four of the workforce;

Axing four fire engines at night time.

There will be fewer rescue appliances, fewer firefighters on fire engines and a longer wait for crews to arrive at all 999 emergencies.

Les Skarratts, Merseyside FBU brigade secretary, said: ‘No one should doubt our resolve to stop these cuts which risk our safety and the public’s safety in the long-term. You cannot have cuts of this magnitude and pretend it will not impact on the operational capacity of the fire service.’