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[sanc] 21/11/2002 23:10

Call off the strike and continue pay talks!
8 days of strike is totally unacceptable!
Both sides need more days to discuss - I'm sure not even the firemen want to strike for 8 days. It will cost too many lifes!

[boobly] 17/11/2002 00:03

WELL DONE - NAVY , ARMY , AIR FORCE.
You deserve this country`s most sincere appreciation AGAIN.

As for the ring leaders of this strike....YOU FILL ME WITH DISGUST.

[siwel123] 16/11/2002 15:40

Offered 16% by employers in May and it would have led to an agreement...Govt. said no and offered 4% of wagebill which would have given many just 2%. Is it suprising that firemens attitude hardened and they felt they had to strike?
Govt. must wish they had agreed now. Best of luck to the Firemen. Three 8 day strikes before christmas should teach the Govt. a few lessons....Just sad that the Firemen were forced into this position and the Government will be responsible for people dying needlessly.....Just a shame there is no alternative to voting Labour.

[goodcall] 16/11/2002 10:52

The idea ones own salary reflects how an individual feels about this dispute in an absolute nonsense, most Daily Mirror readers no doubt earn less than fire-fighters and yet support is high amongst it's readership.
I rather liken it to a gullibility test, those of less intelligence appear more likely to be in support, lets face it anyone who supports a 40% pay increase for public servants must be on cloud cookoo land!

[veneto] 16/11/2002 10:48

THEY HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS.THEY WERE PREPARED TO LET PEOPLE DIE SO THAT THEY COULD GET MORE MONEY

THEY ARE SCUM

[siwel123] 16/11/2002 10:44

100% FOR....This country has a nasty habit of blaming the workers not the management ie the Govt........A workforce that has had zero unrest for 25 years is hardly militant.
As to future problems, of course this is just the starting point as houseprices balloon. Daft green policy and an unwillingness to grasp the nettle to retain the middle class vote will kill new Labour in the end. You cant expect public sector workers to not have a roof over their head or zero hope of purchasing their own property.
Can the Government do anything about it...Nope...They have left it to late. Kill houseprices and they will lose the election.....continue to fight the public sector who want some hope of buying a house...and they will lose the election.
A problem that will just get worse for them.......gross incompetance and they have the cheek to villify the firemen

[graham142] 16/11/2002 10:37

I am NOT in favour of a 40% increase in pay for firemen - the reasons are:

They knew what the conditions and pay were when they applied for the job, it was satisfactory then and they should be satisfied with a graduated rise relative to the same restrictions as other trades.
They state earnings are 20k but that is BASIC Pay only. Tell us the average annual figure after overtime etc.
Many prefer the shifts as it enables them to MOONLIGHT without paying tax. (Why doesn't the inland revenue follow a few of these chaps after hours to see what jobs are being done for cash?)
NO ONE twisted their arm and told them they must do this job. I didn't like the one I was doing years ago - SO I GOT OUT - instead of winging.
Firemen putting their life on the line every day is nonsense - please supply accurate figures of fatalities whilst "doing the job" and compare it with the national average of other occupations - ie the veterinary practice for example.
Is it not the case that a fire is attended not only by ordinary fire fighters but also by officers with superior experience who's job it is to TAKE CHARGE of a situation and organise the deployment of the men in his/her watch? Do you really expect the public to be so naive that we beleive you turn up like a marauding rabble and all try to be the first into an inferno without any regard for your own safety? Give us a break!!!
The on duty fire cheif has a duty to ensure the safety of the men under his control and I cannot beleive for one moment that he is going to allow a firefighter to knowingly enter a life threatening situation without first analyzing the potential risks for that person. If this were not the case he would be prosecuted out of the industry.
There are fire prevention advisors within the industry paid to visit premises and give recommendations/inspect premises. They are unprofessional as a visit from one fire officer will very often raise totally different aspects compared to a visit prior or after by a different officer. There is uniformity in the standard but not in the way it is implemented and carried out in practice.
By all means apply for an increase in wages and better conditions - but - DO NOT TRY TO CON PEOPLE INTO BELEIVING WHAT IS NOT TRUE.

[jaxaxe] 16/11/2002 07:14

YF23,
one day when I have alittle more time on my hands I want to have a holiday to the planet that you come from.
j.levi.

[yf23_1] 16/11/2002 02:26

Before you ask, yes its yet another reason we can't afford the necessities of life like firemen.

In 1999, Sunny Delight was the 12th most popular brand in the UK. Coca-Cola was the most popular, and Walkers crisps the second. In 1998, Sunny Delight's sales in Britain were £160m, Coke sales for the same year were £580m. Sunny Delight contains just 5% fruit juice.

[bourdon] 15/11/2002 22:50

we don`t care in general about people working in the public services until they ask for more pay

they are castigated for it, meanwhile Chief execs already on big salaries, get bonuses and executive share options which apparently these people need to incentivise them. share prices rose during the stock market bubble and they made windfall gains as though they were responsible, when in fact many irresponsibly managed their businesses but not to worry now they have been found out, give them a massive golden farewell plus pension of course

one of the cut and pastes admitted pay in the fire service at £21k in London is not high then later said i won`t be sending my kid to Eton, i`ll put him in the fire service, typical

another tabloid highlights those who have died in the last few days, they and you say we acknowledge did they do a good job, when? the tabloids find people who devote their lives for the betterment or safety of others uninteresting they focus on the negative side of life, no wonder we are so depressed with this country

i am extremely suspicious of the press suddenly giving a 100% backing to this government

BTW MP`s or perhaps more specifically cabinet members are clearly vastly underpaid

[kizer] 15/11/2002 17:43

ps - still against :_)

[kizer] 15/11/2002 17:42

yf23 - OK you made your point. Just keep Tiddles out of it. We don't take kindly to Anticatism in these here parts......

[alan greenspan] 15/11/2002 17:35

FOR,



If this stupid Government can throw tax payers money hand over fist at the E.U. day after day for absolutely nil return they can throw some at the firemen /women and other public services.

Charity begins at home.

God Speed to our valiant fire crews.

[brainclamp] 15/11/2002 17:22

A woman a 3 kids died in Yorkshire this morning in a house fire.

Little babies also died during the last strikes when the country was held to ransom.


Hospitals work by candle
By our own reporters
Thursday December 10, 1970

Nationwide power cuts averaged 31 per cent yesterday, with 40 per cent in some areas, and hospitals faced their most critical 24 hours of the strike so far with staff struggling to keep going by candle and battery power.

[spongy2] 15/11/2002 17:10

Things change but remain the same, nothing is ever new.
Be happy with what you've got, don't get caught up in the greed/status trap laid by the powers that be, and you'll always be content.

[yf23_1] 15/11/2002 16:33

Did you know 70% of the cost of designer perfume goes to advertising and packaging.

[stewjames] 15/11/2002 16:28

Advertising is a wonderful scam. Vast swathes of people employed in an essentially worthless industry working on the basic principle that because one company uses advertising so must their competitors and so the thing perpetuates.

[yf23_1] 15/11/2002 14:47

Kizer

I take it you mean my explanation of why this country is in a mess because it spends too much money on non-productive items. The 'pets' is just an example. I would expect such a response as "So what, I should work all day, not go out - not have any fun and sit in my house, without a pet, singing songs about the good ole days cause i suppose TV's are also a waste of money."

If you reverse the argument, why do people waste so much money on things they could quite easily do themselves - its because they don't have the time because they're too busy working to pay for all the money they waste.
They also need to 'waste' money and have a little fun because their lives and jobs are so stressful - ha, chicken and the egg !
They need to 'pay' for fun because they have absolutely no idea how to have 'fun' without spending money.