Fire fighters to strike..again

[Bonzo77]

I was not aware of that rule, is it a change to a previous situation for firemen? Police can retire before that age. I don`t know if that early retirement age has a relevance to their (police) fitness level requirements. I can see the need for a fireman to have the ability for a certain level of fitness though.

 

Charmer-I think he is referring to fire service pension not state pen. If he worked somewhere else until 65, I am guessing he would get a reduced fire service pension.

 

http:// http://www.fbu.org.uk/news/2014/07/firefighters-issue-eight-days-strike-action/

[Penistone999]

Yet another good example of militant unions trying to hold the Government ro ransom. The problem is we dont have a government who has the balls to crush these trouble causing unions, like the great Iron lady did to that lowlife Scargill when he got too big for his boots.

[Bonzo77]

Yet another good example of militant unions trying to hold the Government ro ransom. The problem is we dont have a government who has the balls to crush these trouble causing unions, like the great Iron lady did to that lowlife Scargill when he got too big for his boots.

 

Good! The government needs holding to ransom! They need a gun pointing to their thick heads! They can't keep pulling the wool over our eyes for much longer. 15% of the fire services salary is to be sacrificed for their pension. A percentage of that will be going towards paying the banks deficit, yet the pricks that got us into this mess in the first place are paying themselves million pound bonuses again!! Explain to me how that is fair! Please enlighten me!!!

[iansheff]

Good! The government needs holding to ransom! They need a gun pointing to their thick heads! They can't keep pulling the wool over our eyes for much longer. 15% of the fire services salary is to be sacrificed for their pension. A percentage of that will be going towards paying the banks deficit, yet the pricks that got us into this mess in the first place are paying themselves million pound bonuses again!! Explain to me how that is fair! Please enlighten me!!!

 

It isn't fair, but since when have this Government done anything that is fair?

[Bonzo77]

It isn't fair, but since when have this Government done anything that is fair?

 

I suppose it's fair if you're a London wan....I mean banker!

[charmer]

I suppose it's fair if you're a London wan....I mean banker!

 

Sorry what has the amount of money that private companies pay to it's employees got to do with the re-negotiation of fire fighter contracts. Even the smaller public banks need to pay their talented employees good money in order to retain their service and thus the banks assets.

 

You still haven't explained why you think the contract renegotiation is unfair, nor have you addressed any of my points.

 

1) How does the package offered compare to firefighters in countries with similar economies? This will give us a relative view of how well the government pays fire fighters in this country.

 

2) How is the fact that firefighters may now have to take a less demanding job in the twilight of their working life any different from millions of other workers?

 

Your link doesn't work

[Bonzo77]

Sorry what has the amount of money that private companies pay to it's employees got to do with the re-negotiation of fire fighter contracts. Even the smaller public banks need to pay their talented employees good money in order to retain their service and thus the banks assets.

 

You still haven't explained why you think the contract renegotiation is unfair, nor have you addressed any of my points.

 

1) How does the package offered compare to firefighters in countries with similar economies? This will give us a relative view of how well the government pays fire fighters in this country.

 

2) How is the fact that firefighters may now have to take a less demanding job in the twilight of their working life any different from millions of other workers?

 

Your link doesn't work

 

1) I don't care what fire services in other countries get, it's irrelevant!

2) Why should they be forced to take another job in their twilight years? Again, irrelevant!

 

Also, it matters a lot how much a private company pays it's employees, because the private companies in question are part state owned and almost brought the global economy to an end in 2008.

 

You say it's important to keep hold of their most talented employees? What about the fire service? Isn't it equally important to make such an important job an attractive career for future generations?

[Anna B]

Good!

 

I hope they batter the government into submission!

 

The wealth in this world is so unevenly spread out, it's ridiculous! How can our government allow large corporations get away without paying tax, then try and convince us that the deal they've offered the fire fighters is fair??

 

Totally agree.

 

I don't know much about the details but I understand pensions are a part of it.

Why should workers, (and let's not forget that these workers risk their lives to do their jobs,) be punished for the bad management of pension funds and the fact that governments have dipped their greedy fingers in the pots to fund their nefarious schemes. Forget all this about us living longer etc, - that's not why pensions are in such a mess.

[charmer]

1) I don't care what fire services in other countries get, it's irrelevant!

2) Why should they be forced to take another job in their twilight years? Again, irrelevant!

 

Also, it matters a lot how much a private company pays it's employees, because the private companies in question are part state owned and almost brought the global economy to an end in 2008.

 

You say it's important to keep hold of their most talented employees? What about the fire service? Isn't it equally important to make such an important job an attractive career for future generations?

 

1) If you want a logical argument you need to know the market worth of a firefighter and compare this to the value of the contract they have.

 

2) Because everyone else has to. There are millions of workers who do active jobs that they probably wont be able to do when they are older. Why aren't you calling for plumbers, personal trainers, brickies, dockers etc to go on strike so that they don't have to get another job?

 

 

Only a few of the banks have state ownership, most are fully private. The banks are an easy target for blame but in reality it is so much more complex. Our economy did remarkably well considering we are probably the major nation that relies on its financial centre the most.

 

It isn't as easy to lose talented firefighters to foreign companies as it would be to lose talented bankers. The reality is that a good banker that can make lots of money is more important to society than a single firefighter, however absurd and unfortunate that may sound. We need a strong financial centre to pay for things like firefighters wages.

[Happ Hazzard]

It's our money that is paying for these wages and pensions. Not the governments. I think firefighters are very well paid for the job they do. Public sector pay and pensions should be based on private sector pay and pensions. If unions want them to rise, they have to rise across the board, not just in public sector.