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FBU Strike Action: Call for Unity Now

After the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) voted overwhelmingly for national strike action to defend pensions, the article argues that [1] the FBU leadership should immediately call strikes, not delay for more talks, as talks had already failed to win concessions; [2] strikes need to be national and sustained to be effective, not limited or token; and [3] the FBU should coordinate strikes with other unions planning actions against austerity to increase their leverage against the government. Hard-hitting strike action combined with national demonstrations could turn the tide against the Conservative government's attacks.

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93 views1 page

FBU Strike Action: Call for Unity Now

After the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) voted overwhelmingly for national strike action to defend pensions, the article argues that [1] the FBU leadership should immediately call strikes, not delay for more talks, as talks had already failed to win concessions; [2] strikes need to be national and sustained to be effective, not limited or token; and [3] the FBU should coordinate strikes with other unions planning actions against austerity to increase their leverage against the government. Hard-hitting strike action combined with national demonstrations could turn the tide against the Conservative government's attacks.

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pastetable
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

www.socialistworker.co.

uk

After an overwhelming vote for action...

Call Strikes Now To Win


T
he FBUs four to one ballot result is a resounding No to the government and a solid Yes in favour of national strike action to defend pensions. This shows that despite the constant barrage of attacks on jobs and fire cover in every brigade, rank and file FBU members are still up for the fight. What alternative is there? Two years of negotiations with the government delivered nothing.

Bogged

Ministers bogged our union leaders down in talks, while maintaining their attack with increased pension contributions and hiking the NPA to 60. No wonder a big majority voted for strikes talks werent enough to win. So why are our union leaders delaying strikes in favour of a call for more talks? Matt Wrack and the Executive Council should call strikes now. We can walk and talk at the same time. Moreover, the FBUs strike action needs to be national and
Protest at Tory Conference

sustained. Limited and token strikes are not enough to win. This was the big lesson of the national pay campaign of 2002/03. We need more and longer strikes to break the scabbing operation organised by Brigades. We should aim to coordinate our strikes with other unions like the teachers, the PCS and the postal workers who are all either planning to strike or organising ballots for national strikes against the governments austerity programme. The teachers have now announced two big regional strikes on 1 and 17 October. Our union leaders have rightly called a national demonstration in London on the 16 October.

divided. The vote on Syria shows what a mess David Cameron is in. We have the power to beat them.

Hard

Hard hitting strike action, the national FBU demo in London and the TUC backed demonstration in defence of the NHS at Tory Party conference in Manchester on 29 September are all opportunities for our union and all workers to turn the tide against the Tories. We need our union to rise to the challenge. We need our leaders to call strikes now to win.

Crucial

Unite the Resistance Conference: Organising to Win


Saturday 19 October, 12-5pm @ Bloomsbury Baptist Church 235 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8EP To book and for more information go to www.uniteresist.org

Every FBU member should do what they can to build the biggest turn out possible because our fight to defend the fire service is entering a crucial stage. This government is weak and

defend the NHS, fight the cuts


Sunday 29 Sept, Manchester Backed by Unite, Unison and GMB Transport is listed at uniteresist.org

I would like to get Socialist Worker regularly I want to join the Socialist Workers Party
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Firefighters 05/09/13

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