firefighters bulletin 2
No to an Easy-jet
fire service!
A ll 5,557 fire fighters in London are
threatened with the sack if they
don’t accept new contracts. Contracts
which not only threaten fire fighters jobs,
conditions of work and family lives, but
will open the door to the destruction of
the fire service as we know it.
Leader of the London Fire Authority
Brian Coleman is a Tory councillor and
London Assembly member for Barnet.
Well known for claiming exorbitant taxi
fares and dinners, Coleman is part of
a council attempting to force through
‘easyJet style’ services in Barnet council.
This means the council providing only
the barest minimum of services, and
people paying for anything extra.
And in reality this is what he wants for
our fire service!
LFA bosses want to change the shift
system to two equal 12-hour shifts.
Management claims this is in order to
“modernise” the fire service. This is the
same “modernisation” process that has
seen response time to emergency call-
out increase by 18%.
London has one of the busiest fire
services in the world. In 2007/08 they
had to respond to 144,753 emergency
calls. Expected upshots following this
change are fire stations closing, fire
engines removed from night-time
service and even cuts in frontline staff.
These attacks could cost lives!
The current shift system was fought
for by workers in the fire service after
the Second World War to turn it into a
professional, public, modern service,
but now the clocks are being turned
back. “Modernisation” means cuts.
Firefighters have shown
their determination to
defend the service at
mass meetings all over The Socialist Party
London. gives our full
support to the
T he protests this week – at Coleman’s
council offices in Barnet and at the
London Fire Authority – will shake the London FBU’s
fire bosses. A massive yes vote in a
ballot for strike action will rock them.
campaign, including
strike action
These cuts can be defeated but the
firefighters cannot be left to fight if necessary, in
alone. The support shown from other
trade unions in London so far is
defence of their
magnificent. This must be followed up jobs, conditions
with real support and solidarity action,
if necessary. and service.
A strategy to defeat the public sector cuts
A s Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, from all over the country, to make the
has said at the mass meetings, simple demand:
firefighters did not cause this economic The TUC should call a
crisis and should not be forced to pay for national demo now!
it. These attacks on the fire service are
just the beginning of the most ferocious
attacks on public services ever seen.
T his demo should be preparation for a
national public sector strike

Under pressure, TUC leaders called a

It is inevitable that there will be regional day of action on 23rd October.
resistance to the cuts. Workers in trade In Scotland and Northern Ireland there
unions such as the FBU, PCS and RMT will be demonstrations. In the South
are already fighting back. In different East the TUC has called an indoor rally.
communities, campaigns are growing We call for a march to that rally, led by
to defend local services. All of this is a coalition of left trade unions like the
essential. FBU. A show of strength on the street on
23rd October would be a warning to the For a socialist alternative
Everywhere workers are looking to their government and keep up the pressure
leaders and demanding to know what on TUC leaders to call a national demo.
they are going to do.
W e live in a capitalist society –
where the profits of a few always
come before meeting the needs of the
In all our local areas, we need anti- many. The Socialist Party argues for
Until now, the TUC has been silent. cuts unions established, bringing a democratic socialist society where
The seven million workers organised in together trade unionists and community the major corporations and banks
trade unions are a mighty force which, if campaigners. that dominate the British economy are
mobilised, could smash these cuts. taken into democratic public ownership
At the TUC conference this week, the For more information about the so that production can be planned to
National Shop Stewards Network, National Shop Stewards Network see meet the needs of the population and
supported by the FBU, organised a http://www.shopstewards.net/ the environment, rather than to line the
fantastic lobby and march of trade or contact pockets of a few billionaires. Join us in
unionists and community campaigners info@shopstewards.net the struggle for a socialist society!

JOIN THE SOCIALIST PARTY!

I would like to join the Socialist Party,  I would like to find out more 
Name……………………………………………………………….....……………………………...............................................
Address ………………………………………………………………………...………..................................................……….
……………………………………………………………….................................................……….Post code………...……..
Tel.......………………………………………………………………………………………...……….............................................
Email………………………………………………………………………………..................................................………………
 www.socialistparty.org.uk 
Return to: Socialist Party, Po Box 24697, London E11 1YD or phone 020 8988 8777