20,000 workers march through London in support of the fire fighters

Last Saturday (December 7, 2002) 20,000 trade unionists marched through the centre of London in support of the firefighters in a demonstration organised by the TUC. There was a wide range of different unions and trades council banners present, and there was a good mood of solidarity in spite of the bad weather. The negotiations between the Fire Brigades Union and the employers began in the summer and proceeded until September when the FBU balloted for strike action in order to back up their claim for a 40% wage rise. The 40% claim was intended to take into account the changed nature of the job and to restore decent wage levels. Since then the FBU has gone to great lengths to gain public support. From a programme of two two-day strikes, followed by three eight-day strikes, they have called off one of each with one eight-day strike due to start on Monday 16. The latest strike which, would have coincided with the demo, was called off at the eleventh hour, after it was announced that the union and the employers were going to the arbitration service ACAS to try to find a solution to the dispute.

On the picket lines the firefighters have shown an excellent resolve, the public have shown great support and this was also the case on the demo. A large part of the demo was made up of firefighters from around the country, and there was a great mood of confidence among them that they would get a favourable settlement one way or another. The demo ended with a rally in Hyde Park with many of the union big guns speaking, John Monks (TUC Gen. Sec.), John Edmonds, (Gen. Sec. GMB), Dave Prentis (Gen. Sec. UNISON).

Andy Gilchrist (FBU Gen. Sec.) was very well received. He said of Labour’s attacks on the fire service, "I never thought I would see a Labour government attempt to demonise public-sector workers in this way." He added that it was difficult to stay out of politics when the government is warning that 10,000 Fire Service jobs could be cut.

The Blairite clique at the top of the Labour Party certainly wants to attack the public sector, and at the moment the firefighters are in the front line. The reason that the government have treated the firefighters so contemptuously in the negotiations is that they want nothing less than a total defeat for the FBU. That would allow them to cut jobs and introduce flexible working conditions at their leisure in the Fire Service and beyond. This is why the current negotiations at ACAS are unlikely to produce any acceptable results. The government has angered workers with their actions in the dispute and the mood among many FBU members has shifted away from compromise.

Hence ACAS is not a way forward for the firefighters dispute. The government is sitting the dispute out, in spite of the fact that the army cannot provide effective cover, and that the majority of the population support the firefighters. The union has to turn up the heat on the government. They must build the momentum, to broaden out and promote the strike. The excellent mood and resolve that you see on every picket line has to be galvanised through a series of local, regional, and national events, so that the union can proceed as a single united force. FBU members have to feel that they are part of a powerful national strike. That is the way to prevent any division creeping in as the strike unfolds.

The TUC will have to play a vital role in this. It is clear that the mood among trade unionists existed for a much larger demonstration, the short notice and confusion surrounding the calling off of the strike notwithstanding. The truth is that there was a lack of preparation in the regional trade union structures. This shows that the trade union organisations in all areas of the country must be fully mobilised in support of the firefighters.

It is clear that if the coming eight-day dispute does not have the desired affect of forcing the government to make a sensible offer then the union and its members will have to consider moving to all out action some time in the new year. If they do not, the strike could drag on and on, and they could even risk defeat if the strike continued without any perspective of victory. Now is the time for the leadership to grab the nettle. They should not put off any more strikes without a concrete deal on the table. The union should enter the next round of negotiations from a position of strength. They have the majority of public support, and the support of the whole union movement. All eyes are on the firefighters, because they are waging a struggle for the whole movement.