London firefighters strike in contracts row
Firefighters in London will stage another strike today in a row over new contracts.
The eight-hour stoppage will go ahead after the collapse of 11th hour talks between the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the capital’s brigade.
The two sides met yesterday for more than four hoursbut the talks ended without any agreement.
Members of the FBU will stop work from 10am, forcing the capital’s fire brigade to hire contract staff to provide cover.
The union is still also planning a two-day strike from the morning of November 5, which will include Bonfire Night and November 6 when scores of firework and bonfire displays will be held across the capital.
London’s Fire Authority signed a five-year contract last year with private firm AssetCo to provide a contingency level of fire and rescue services if firefighters were not available because of severe pandemic illness, industrial action, natural disaster or catastrophic incident.
The brigade wants to change the current 15-hour night shift and nine-hour day shift to provide a longer day shift, saying that firefighters will continue to work two day shifts followed by two night shifts then have four days off.
The union has accused the capital’s fire brigade of threatening thousands of firefighters with the sack if they do not agree to new shift patterns.
