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Quote from Ben, South London:

"A friend of mine is a ff for a nameless station on the outskirts of London, he openly admits that on a day shift most of his crew spend time sorting out their 2nd jobs be that plumbing, gas fitting, building, car sales, the list goes on! Of a night this station settles down for a good 8 hours sleep WITH ABOUT 2 CALL OUTS IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS when he has been on shift."

Now then Ben, 2 call outs in 3 months would equate to 8 shouts, per Watch, per year. Being as there's 4 Watches, that means a Station annual average of 32 SHOUTS PER YEAR!!!

the quietest Station in the South is Biggin Hill, which averages about 250 shouts per year, across all Watches.

So the reason that this Station is 'nameless' is because, YOU MADE IT UP BEN!

- David, London, 15/01/2011 08:43
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is that right ben? tell me the name of the station and i'll put in for a transfer, sounds great.

- tom, london, 14/01/2011 19:36
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A friend of mine is a ff for a nameless station on the outskirts of London, he openly admits that on a day shift most of his crew spend time sorting out their 2nd jobs be that plumbing, gas fitting, building, car sales, the list goes on! Of a night this station settles down for a good 8 hours sleep with about 2 call outs in the last three months when he has been on shift. Im laughed at because I work a 9-5 job and actually do my job in those hours, I think there needs to be closure's and a massive restructure as this will continue for years to come.

- Ben, South London, 14/01/2011 12:50
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reading these comments i have to say this country is full of selfish.arrogant idiots with low intelligence.you all deserve the country it has become because of politicians and money mad people.you make me me feel sick with your vile opinions.i am not a firefighter but would back them against the kind of bile i am reading on this site.i can only assume that you are all jealous as you probably would not make the grade with fitness or guts required.

- lisa, london, 13/01/2011 11:27
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bob from south london, it would appear you've reached different oppinions to me, so is there any danger of you backing up your stance with some facts, or are you one of those people that don't need facts to reach an oppinion? are you one of those that lets the sun do all their thinking for them? if your gonna insult me for my oppinions then at least try to make an attempt at explaining to me where i've gone wrong. or don't you really know why i'm wrong?

- tom, london, 13/01/2011 09:48
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- tom, london

From reading your numerous rantings, they get funnier and more disjointed every time you try and dismantle someone elses comments, you need to get back to the asylum, or firestation, as quick as you can for a lie down and a soothing massage. Your medication must be due soon!!

- Bob, South London, 12/01/2011 20:58
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-P from sutton, err i never once tried to defend new labours policies, which in fact were borrowed from the tories. as i said "succesive governments (new labour included) have taken your NHS away" along with the rest of your services and industries. but the FACT remains that it was an OLD labour government that biult 300,000 new council homes per year, it was an OLD labour government that introduced the best health service in the world and it was a liberal government that introduced a state penssion scheme. it is also a FACT that the tories have never introduced a single service to benifit the people and have systematically destroyed every service introduced by left wing governments of the past. you can't argue that FACT because the evidence is just outside your front door. ignore the tabloid press and just poke your head out from time to time. try questioning motives from time to time. try looking at previous policies and look at where they led us. i think anyone with half a brain would then see that these attacks on YOUR fire service are just the same as the attacks on all other services and industries that have been destroyed, often with the misguided aproval of the people those services and industries served!!

- tom, london, 12/01/2011 19:20
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just thought i'd put my point across

if the fire service were to be privitised, were would the funding come from? incresed insurance premiums for your car and house hold. increased cost in anything you buy, passed on from supplier to retailer. Part funded by the gouvernment. this i should imagine would be more expensive then the current system of funding.

firefighters get half a year off. It's atualy more like 75% of the year as opposed to the national average of around 79%. Based on firefighters working 4.5 hours per week over the national average. These extra hours also make the salary appear to be more substansive then it is. Based on average hours per week a firefighter over the year woukld earn around £25,000. the extra £3000 comes from extra contracted hours, which (before an assumption is made) is not paid at an enhanced rate.

Regarding the remarks about letting members of the armed forces do the firefighters jobs, you'll find a large ammount already working as firefighters, many veterens of past and current conflicts and tours.

second jobs i see as being not realy an issue. I used to work 55 hours a week from 5.30am to 4.30pm and still had enough time off to work 15 hours a week in the evenings. Are these part time jobs regular or occasional? if i chose to work 1 extra day a month, does that realy make me a nonster? Start my shift at anytime you like, if i'm tired, i'll go home for a kip before i start my lucrative second job caring for my nan.

- lewis, surrey, 12/01/2011 19:15
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its appears brian colemans PR team are at work again in these comments, they disappeared after we called off strike action in nov. let get this clear we signed up to RAP , the same as the chief officer , it was agreed that new shifts start in may , but apparently coleman does not like it as wants to destroy peace talks to sort out minor details, he has undermined his own chief officer , i feel the man should resign as in my opinion he does not care about FIREFIGHTERS or the general public of LONDON at all, he only cares about himself, FACT

- john, hornchurch, 12/01/2011 18:03
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Apologies to mickinlondon - I appear to be guilty of libel. The childish 'communist' comment came from 'ST, London', mickinlondon just quoted. mea culpa!

- Ben, London, 12/01/2011 16:59
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I am so sick of this individualistic culture where any sense of doing things for the public good makes you a communist (mickinlondon., london, 11/01/2011 14:5). I am shocked by the number of people who now seem to think being a banker and getting paid millions in bonuses is some how more noble than risking your life saving other people's. Actually 'mickinlondon' I think I will now swing to being a communist, it's a damned sight better than this 'in it for yourself', individualistic and selfish nonsense we are being sold by the neo-liberals who now seem to dominate all three main political parties.

- Ben, London,

I don't know where you are coming from, Ben?

But anyway; don't become a Communist, they have all become capitalist's now, and you would be out of fashion..

- mickinlondon., london, 12/01/2011 16:38
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david smith, please explain to me when we EVER claimed our job was too hard. we haven't asked for a single thing. we've not asked for more wages, we've not asked for more leave and we've not asked for different hours, in fact it's our employer that has asked for changes. we even accepted changes to our working hours in an attempt to bring an end to this dispute, but still coleman is looking at sacking us. i'm affriad i have to agree with bazza from london mate. surely if you're gonna have an oppinion on something you should at least research the facts behind the story first!

- tom, london, 12/01/2011 15:58
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I am a crew manager in the LFB and have had 20% of my wages stopped. But after 12 1/2 years as a firefighter, driver and officer its nice to know that most of you dont care if you have a good service or not, UNTIL you need us, we dont make any money for the country, but we save a lot from stopping floods & fires which save lost hours and money & the odd life & there is only ever 900-1100 of us on duty per shift for 7.5 million of you (not including those of you who live outside and travel into london for work)do the maths when there are less of us and it takes longer to arive dont complain, and it takes 2-3 years to train fully as a firefighter so if we leave and there are 20 or so people who want my job remember they wont be ready for a long time.
so please stop talking rubbish we dont want more money but we do want to be treated with respect by our so called bosses and not lied too by THEM.

- Chris, EAST GRINSTEAD, 12/01/2011 15:56
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william boreham, where do i start. "firemen don't risk their lives anymore", well seeing as you only get your oppinions from a one sided source i'd like to bring to your attention that 4 firefighters were hospitalised only a couple of days ago in wandsworth with 20% burns. quite unlucky for 4 people not risking their lives. a friend of mine is currently in a wheel chair with 4 fractured vertebray, 2 broken legs and a crushed ancle after the first floor of a building collapsed on him while tackling a fire. niether incidents made the news, so illinformed numb nuts like yourself know nothing of the risks we take for people like you. "they now make damn sure the risk to themselves is minimal before they tackle an incident" well what use would we be to someone in need of rescuing if we need rescuing ourselves? at least TRY to make a sensible statement mate! "the real reason the firemen are objecting to the new shift system is that it'll screw up the hours they can work at their second jobs" in actual fact william, those firefighters that work their days off would actually BENEFIT from the new shift system you gullible fool!! "they only work 2 days out of 8" i work 48 hours a week. spreed out over the course of a year it works out that i work considerably more hours than any of my friends in other industries, especially the office workers. it would appear the anti working class press have duped you again willy!! still your not alone, there appears to be a few of you about!

- tom, london, 12/01/2011 15:50
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William BOREHAM, an apt surname if ever there was one you plonker, grow up.

- Steve, london, 12/01/2011 15:39
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"So if my house burns down, or my train derails or i'm in a car crash who shall I sue for compensation if no rescue services turn up?

- Paul Humphreys, Essex, 12/01/2011 12:51"

Answer: David Cameron

- Anon, London, 12/01/2011 15:22
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It looks like Tory Brian Coleman is the trouble maker here. Threatening to abolish members' questions at meetings..no doubt because they're not in his interest, and harbouring a desire to “break” the Fire Brigades Union, whose members were a “thoroughly unpleasant and nasty lot”...as quoted in this paper recently.
His type of extreme Tory-ism will be the reason people return to Labour...and the merry-go-round will continue.

- Mark H, London England, 12/01/2011 14:37
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Brian Coleman appers to be deliberately looking for a fight.
it is reported that he has blocked blogs from OTHER ASSEMBLY MEMBERS at his HQ.
And that he is REFUSING TO ACCEPT QUESTIONS, in assembly meetings.
Erm, isn't this supposed to be a demoicracy, so that apparent bullies like Coleman are not allowed to get away with this sort of arrogant posturing?

- G. Tingey, London, England, 12/01/2011 14:08
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So if my house burns down, or my train derails or i'm in a car crash who shall I sue for compensation if no rescue services turn up?

- Paul Humphreys, Essex, 12/01/2011 12:51
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David, London

- Bang who up for life?

Duh - firefighters of course - do try and keep up

- Frank, Home Counties, England, 11/01/2011 22:28

Oh dont worry Plank, I knew exactly who you meant. Now, under what grounds are you going to have them 'banged up for life' Plank?

- David, London, 12/01/2011 10:26
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It's amazing how many office bums that come on here slandering firemen, who actually do a full day's work without the benefit of milling around on the internet for half their working day and having family friendly hours. They decide to go on strike after Mr Coleman demands they work more hours a day, and our doughnut eating office mob are outraged!
Ignorance is bliss as they say, and there is plenty of it going around the City Of London.
Not to worry Firemen, it will be you that they come running to when they are in danger.

- Anon, London, 12/01/2011 09:56
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“The authority would have no option but to consider termination and re-engagement.”
Surely this is unfair dismissal and will lead to several industrial tribunals and then payouts to follow.
Also if you sack the firemen and not enough sign up for the new contracts who do we blame when our house burns down or there is no-one to release the victims trapped in a crashed car etc etc.
Can the public take legal action against those doing the sackings..??

- Mark H, London England, 12/01/2011 01:02
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The firefighters have had six years tocome to a sensible deal and yet they still argue.

Times up. Your fault and yours alone. Welcome back to planet earth.

Lets hope the same is done RMT.

Don't like it? Get another job. The taxpayer has had enough.

- antieverything, Shoreditch, UK, 11/01/2011 23:07
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As a serving firefighter i try to resist getting into debates with people who have no idea what they are talking about so i have decided i am not going to complain about anything colemanm/dobson do I am going to accept any and everything they say or do then I am going to turn up for work days and then nights do my time nothing more nothing less and take no pleasure in watching the job i love fall apart around me as has been proven on here the public do not care so why should I.I will treat it just like a "job" not the career it should and used to be so glad I am soon to retire and do not have to be around to say I told you so when it all goes wrong

- j senior, london england, 11/01/2011 22:44
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'Why is everyone cursing the bankers?' (Brian, Wiltshire, 11/01/2011 18:14)

Maybe because those investment bankers that caused the crisis (that we are all paying for) are inline for million pound bonuses next month ... I think your question should really be 'why is everyone [ONLY] cursing the bankers [when there a hundreds of m/billionaire business people like Phillip Green who don't pay their taxes and spend they days doing far less valuable jobs than rescuing people from burning buildings]?' I'd rather live in a country without Topshop than a country without a decent fire service.

- Ben, London, 11/01/2011 22:35
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Who cares what 31 middle aged men who's wifes have had affairs with Firemen think, ignore them, they're passed their best.

keep up the good work LFB men and women, the other 7 million Londoners appreciate you even if 31 cretins don't, lets hope it's them who become crispy and black when fat cat overpaid tories like Coleman finally destroy the public sector.

- GBC, London, 11/01/2011 21:57
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Bang them up for life

- Frank, Home Counties, England, 11/01/2011 18:29

Bang who up for life?

- David, London, 11/01/2011 21:39
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On Saturday night 4 fireman were seriously injured with one of them still in a burns unit and the other 3 also affected for life. In addition 2 fireman pulled two of these guys to safety and once safe they ran into the building to try and extinguish it. Along with nearly 38 other firefighters they tackled the blaze. No member of the public was hurt just the 4 fireman. So for whoever said 'fireman do not risk their loves anymore' maybe this would change their minds. No one has suggested they will not adapt to change they just want to be left to do their jobs. They are not protesting over pay just the right to continue a life. You should all be backing our fire-fighters - they could one day be risking their life to save yours.
I'm proud of each and every one of them.
It's not too late to back them!

- Hayley, London, 11/01/2011 21:17
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I really feel that so many of the comments here are horrid and unnecessary.The public sector workers are I believe,a very important part of our lives and should be appreciated much more. Imagine your lives without train & bus drivers,how would you get to work.Without street cleaners and binmen cleaning up the filth others leave around,they are up and out working when most are only just stirring from sleep.All NHS workers,who do very long and unsociable hours all the time. Think where you would be if they all walked away and did something else.It was not the banks that made our country prosperous and a good place to live,it was industry which we no longer have. It was all privatised over the years and gradually sold off.One should look after the things that really matter to everyone not just the few selfish and greedy.Would you like your house to burn down with family inside because there was insufficient FF and appliances on duty to deal with it.I am not a FF just a member of the public that feels very strongly about giving more support to the people that we really need.

- M.P.Stevens, London, England, 11/01/2011 20:39
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The struggle with public-sector unions really should be about productivity and parity.
People in the private sector are only just beginning to understand how much of a banquet public-sector unions have been having at everybody else’s expense.

Fixing the public sector must not be allowed to degenerate into demonising it. Its health is vital to the health of society as a whole, not least because of its impact on economic growth. Bad teachers mean a lousy talent-pool for employers. Allowing a subway driver to retire at 50 on an artificially inflated pension means less to spend on infrastructure. Refusing to adapt to new practices by fire brigades removes essential funding for schools and hospitals.

Public-sector unions will find it hard to win these battles. They have not been particularly successful in mobilising public anger, considering the scale of the cutbacks. Nor have they notched up any notable victories: the Greek and Irish governments have implemented their austerity packages and Nicolas Sarkozy has raised the retirement age.

- a hard worker, london, 11/01/2011 16:16
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A Hard worker ....do you copy and paste this drivel on all articles ....a tube driver cannot retire at 50 as you suggest on a inflated pension and a tube worker like most people does not get a full pension till after doing 37 years service that would make him driving trains at 13 ...so stick your drivel where the sun dont shine ...

- non -union tube worker, london, 11/01/2011 19:15
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As a fellow firefighter I am shocked at some of the comments on this story. I would like to think they are being posted so as to initiate a response but sadly I fear that most of them are actually genuine. I wonder sometimes do the people of London (and Dublin) understand the work that their emergency services do and to advocate the sacking of firefighters or the privitisation of the service simply because they won't conform to new contracts is both worrying and ludicrous. My understanding is that the LFB are willing to compromise and have suggested numerous ways in which change is agreed and acceptable but what sort of society is it when bureaucrats can simply change the terms of an individuals employment without valid and thorough negotiation. Anyone that believes such actions are fair and justified should look closer to home and at their own jobs and I doubt any of them would tolerate being treated with such lack of respect. Please spare me the argument that they are "lucky to have a job". To those who have lost jobs during this recession I sympathise, but a job in the emergency services brings security, because it does not bring lucrative pay and bonuses. So job security is the only benefit we have over those in private employment. We did not benefit during the boom times so to be penalised during the bad times is unjust. Remember people, these firefighters put their lives on the line every day. Those of you who criticised, why didn't you join the fire service before?

- DublinFirefighter, Dublin, Ireland, 11/01/2011 19:10
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i know sacking them may seem a bit harsh, but i saw some a couple of years ago during a strike standing around a bin tht was clearly on fire, they made no attempt to extinguish the flames , instead they stood there waving to passing motorists who were bibbing there hooters warning them of the flames and then warming there hands over the burning bin, i was shocked and disgusted, i thought lazy so n so's

- Brian, Wiltshire, 11/01/2011 19:10
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I cannot believe how some people think it is right that 5,500 men and women can be sacked for no reason but to change their hours of work. The firefighters have already agreed to change their hours to 11hr days and 13 hr nights - this is over 4 shifts which adds up to a 48 hour week. They then have THREE days off not four - most people dont consider it to be a day off when you have already worked 9 1/2hrs of it!. And if you really want to nit-pick then the change of shifts help firefighters if they have second jobs! I am very sorry for other people who have been made to work 12 hour shifts if they dont want to but how can 'others have to do it' make it right! We are going to have to start standing up to the people who only care about money and not about the people it may affect. This could be our healthworkers, police or ambulance staff next. When Brian and Boris have admitted to getting rid of 27 fire engines and they have closed many fire stations at night who will be moaning then! Have a look at the number of fires that have occurred after 8.00pm over the last couple of months - what if that was your house and family? This isn't about being paid more, its about making cuts.
My husband is a firefighter and I am proud of him and all his colleagues. We have just witnessed how dedicated they are to your safety. Please support them and show this government that we no longer are prepared to allow them to make all the decisions for us - we need to have a louder voice!

- Jen, Caterham, 11/01/2011 19:00
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P sutton.I think Tom was referring to the London assembly,although I must agree that the Tories have always looked after their own,meaning the chosen few.

- Big Red, London, 11/01/2011 18:59
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Maybe all you people that don't support our brave fire-fighters should get a poster or something you can put in you house window and on your car,just to show how much you don't support them when they are called out to help you

- Big Red, London, 11/01/2011 18:53
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The fire service are so professional they even managed to let their training station burn down.

- Chris Wilson, London, 11/01/2011 18:47
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'..get real, you've been sold a lie by a party that have only EVER looked for reasons to cut services they don't rely on like the rest of us. please start to think for yourselves and stop reading right wing rags that are designed by powerful people to keep you down in your place...'.

tom, london, 11/01/2011 17:13

Err, Tom it may have escaped your notice but it was a Labour Government, with a huge majority, that was in power for 14 years from 1997. The current Government has only been in office for a little over 6 months.

- P, Sutton, 11/01/2011 18:37
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Dave Smith London.I think your brains keeps farting because everything you say sounds like s**it

- Bazza, London, 11/01/2011 18:32
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I am 100% behind our firefighters. Brian Coleman has to be ousted from the London Fire Authority. He is working AGAINST the interests of Londoners AND firefighters. His actions and rhetoric are shameful and fill me with disgust.

- Anita Hunt, Surbiton, Surrey, UK, 11/01/2011 18:26
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Am I missing something here- but do we not have laws in this country preventing an employee from just being sacked willy-nilly without due process and sufficient reason? Do we not have such a thing as 'unfair dismissal'? If all firemen are sacked, they should all take their employer to court and sue the hell out of them. In the meantime there would be no fire cover, with potential lawsuits running into 100s of millions of pounds, a situation Coleman and co. couldn't possibly hope to recover from. They should get some common sense and back down.

- Richard, London, 11/01/2011 18:18
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Why is everyone cursing the bankers? they do a far more important and valuable job than anyone else in our society and are richly rewarded for it, ok firefighters do a worthwhile job , but they dont make the country wealthy, and without a wealthy country there would be no public servants, so get a grip !!

- Brian, Wiltshire, 11/01/2011 18:14
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I am so sick of this individualistic culture where any sense of doing things for the public good makes you a communist (mickinlondon., london, 11/01/2011 14:5). I am shocked by the number of people who now seem to think being a banker and getting paid millions in bonuses is some how more noble than risking your life saving other people's. Actually 'mickinlondon' I think I will now swing to being a communist, it's a damned sight better than this 'in it for yourself', individualistic and selfish nonsense we are being sold by the neo-liberals who now seem to dominate all three main political parties.

- Ben, London, 11/01/2011 18:06
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Tom of London we give our support to Boris because we are fed up of been held to blackmail by you and other so called public workers.If you think your job is to hard leave and let someone else do it.Mabye some of our poor troups who are putting their life on the line could show you how its done.We are all having to make cuts just what give you the right to protect your spanish practises.

- david smith, london, 11/01/2011 17:52
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- mickinlondon., london, 11/01/2011 14:56"
Apart from the employees of the privatised banks why should I care about the bankers? Good luck to them, I say - they work hard and they are paid for being better than their competitors. Not sure why you see anything wrong with that, unless you are a communist.

- ST, London,

Like the Tube strikers ST; they work hard as well, not sure why you should see nothing wrong with that; unless your a Tory?

- mickinlondon., london, 11/01/2011 17:50
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After mailing the delightful Brian Coleman about this he replied 'Get a life and don't bother emailling me again'.

Charming so if you disagree with him you should get a life!

- Alison, Guildford, 11/01/2011 17:48
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Fireman..if your not happy with your job - why carry on?

Thats like me saying I h of ate being a little indian waiter, complain about drunken groups of men and women from the city taking the piss out of me when I serve them, complain about my poor pay and no tips, and me going home to my wife stinking of curry every night and then saying 'I want better conditions and pay'!

Be a banker if you want the best pay and best working conditions - but beware, your wife/gf may only stay with u for the money.

- Little indian in London, London, England, 11/01/2011 17:26
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Firemen don’t risk their lives anymore. They now make damn sure the risk to themselves is minimal before they tackle an incident. The 7/7 inquest exposed how they cowered on the station platform, waiting for the all-clear for their own safety, while bloodied casualties staggered past them and victims were dying in the carriages a short distance away. The real reason the firemen are objecting to the new shift system is that it’ll screw up the hours they can work at their second jobs. As they only have to work only two days out of every eight for the Brigade - they can put far more effort and energy into their ‘real’ and untaxed employment. London Fire Brigade needs a huge reorganisation anyway, overmanned and top heavy, the personnel with far too much time on their hands - not only would I change the shift system, I’d combine them with the Ambulance service as the Americans successfully do. Not only would Londoners be better served, they’d have a more cost-effective public service (for a change) working for them.

- William Boreham, Kingston Surrey, 11/01/2011 17:19
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When the Fire-fighters are sacked I suppose the 27 Fire engines being stored somewhere in the burbs by Asset Co are going to save the whole of London with their willing band of store security staff, Polish plasterers and female body builders - sounds like something from a slap-stick Carry On Movie - all led by the famous comic Brian Coleman - Boris needs to sack the idiot and replace him with someone more capable of doing the job. Well done our Fire-Fighters - now the truth is coming out and we can see just what you have had to put up with over the past months. Being run over by the strike breaking scabs and having 20% of your wages illegally docked just for doing your job properly and now still facing the sack. We should be ashamed if we let this happen. Lots of us behind you - now more than ever.

- Tracey Cook, Rainham Kent, 11/01/2011 17:19
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I am a London Firefighter who has recently dislocated my shoulder attending a house fire. I am at this moment visiting my friend and also a firefighter in hospital with severe burns to a lot of his body. Firefighters are not asking for nothing other than being able to work reasonable hours allowing us to continue providing a great service whilst keeping ourselves as safe as possible. Imposing changes without proper consultation from the men and women actually doing the job will result in far more injuries and potentially a worse service for the public we serve. I would never complain about the risks involved in what I chose to do as a career. I would just like to think that management wouldn't attempt to make our job anymore dangerous and in many cases less family friendly. Support firefighters as we are being backed into a corner and are not to blame. I'm going back in to visit my colleague in the burns unit now. Hope he's ok, thanks for reading this.

- Lee Jay, London, 11/01/2011 17:14
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could someone please explain to me why on earth so many of you choose to listen to these politicians that have devoted their lives to cutting our services and live in their ivory towers unaffected by such cuts? we firefighters are just like you. we live in your streets, shop in your supermarkets, our kids go to school with yours, we wait for 6 hours + in A&E for an over worked doctor in an underfunded hospital just as you do. why do you insist on listening to people who live completely different lives to the rest of us? do you think their kids are affected by education cuts at eton? do you think their kids will be affected by the hospital and ward closures? get real, you've been sold a lie by a party that have only EVER looked for reasons to cut services they don't rely on like the rest of us. please start to think for yourselves and stop reading right wing rags that are designed by powerful people to keep you down in your place. just look around you and ask yourselves have the constant cuts and privatisation over the last few decades made this country a nice place to live? i think we all know this country is now a complete dive, so why on earth would you back even more of the same? there are actualy third world countries with better services than ours, the 4th richest country in the world. that says a lot for the priorities of succesive governments that at one time inherited the best NHS in the world. they've succeeded in taking it away from you and a lot of you backed it!!

- tom, london, 11/01/2011 17:13
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just thought of the brigades new slogan for "saving money,not lives since 2011"

- robin, yorks, 11/01/2011 17:10
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I have some sympathy for FFs but they are their own worst enemy. I work in the public sector and have had to re-apply for my own job after 17 years. Additionally, I have had to accept considerably more responsibility, without a pay rise and to work longer hours. FFs you are no different, and need to get away from the culture of being able to lounge about for 80% of your working time. All public sector jobs, pay and conditions are under attack. FFs you cannot be immune from changes to working practices and conditions.

- Paul, Coulsdon, 11/01/2011 17:07
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Privatised emergency service??? Really are you
Mad!!! It used to be that way before the world wars! If your house was covered by an insurer they would put it out, if it wasn't they only work the fire brigade was to make sure it didn't spread onto the neighbouring properties!! I can't see anyone standing for that!!!
Firefighters have to jump through the windows of a burning building and then jump through the hoops set by the over paid, power hungry odeous politicians who freely spend your money on........let's say taxis for example!!

Firefighters are highly trained personnel who simply cannot just jump ship if they don't like their job.....not like some! They have an ability that not many have and for one I am proud to be able to call myself a firefighter!

LET US DO OUR JOB!!!

Thanks for reading an don't forget YOU RING AND WE
COME REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU ARE!!!

- Fluff, Surrey, 11/01/2011 16:59
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to all of you out there when you or someone you know last called for our help (firefighters that is)did you recieve prompt curtious knowledgeable solving of yor predicament. or did you get put on a telephone queuing system ,on hold,or igtnored like all the other " modernised " services get real coleman is cutting corners in the name of cost firefighters see the bigger plan you only hear what coleman tells you, after his changes lets hope its not your family that will die horribly, because thousands will i promise you, and it will be all down to boris and his little stoolie chum coleman. you have been warned over and over again.

- robin, yorks, 11/01/2011 16:40
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I have not looked in detail at this particular claim by firefighters but simply the fact that Brian Coleman is involved puts me firmly on their side. Brian Coleman is an odious creature, who represents everything that is rotten and corrupt in the world of politics. He only gets elected as he's in a super-safe Conservative area, if the Cons had any integrity they would have replaced him yonks ago.

- Helen, London, 11/01/2011 16:27
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Get a doctors note and go sick, all 5,500 of you, before Thursday, they can not sack you whilst on GP's/hospital certificated sick leave. Good luck guy's and girls. PS do not listen to the Tory, fickle, negative post its Coleman PR mob.

- Steve, london, 11/01/2011 16:24
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kathy doyle, have you actually listened to yourself? i wasn't unhappy with my job and asked for nothing! i accepted the contract offered to me and stuck to it to the letter without a single complaint. then dopy boris johnson apointed coleman chair of the authority and all hell broke loose. this man has done his damndest to cause industrial strife and finally succeeded when he threatened to sack me and 5500 loyal employees unless we agreed to massive changes that would have led to a destroyed fire service run into ground just as our NHS, police force and schools have been. so we agreed to work longer day shifts as recomended by an independant advisory panel, but not the ones that would make it easy for him to shut down stations, but this is still not good enough. what has this man got to do for you people to see what we are dealing with? and why are you people so hell bent on backing massive destruction to a service that you or someone you love may very well rely on one day? it makes NO sense! just look at the NHS, police and schools to see what happens when the workforce offers no resistance to attacks on the service. sorry, but i can't just let that happen!!!

- tom, london, 11/01/2011 16:17
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The struggle with public-sector unions really should be about productivity and parity.
People in the private sector are only just beginning to understand how much of a banquet public-sector unions have been having at everybody else’s expense.

Fixing the public sector must not be allowed to degenerate into demonising it. Its health is vital to the health of society as a whole, not least because of its impact on economic growth. Bad teachers mean a lousy talent-pool for employers. Allowing a subway driver to retire at 50 on an artificially inflated pension means less to spend on infrastructure. Refusing to adapt to new practices by fire brigades removes essential funding for schools and hospitals.

Public-sector unions will find it hard to win these battles. They have not been particularly successful in mobilising public anger, considering the scale of the cutbacks. Nor have they notched up any notable victories: the Greek and Irish governments have implemented their austerity packages and Nicolas Sarkozy has raised the retirement age.

- a hard worker, london, 11/01/2011 16:16
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"Don't forget the bankers, ST.

- mickinlondon., london, 11/01/2011 14:56"
Apart from the employees of the privatised banks why should I care about the bankers? Good luck to them, I say - they work hard and they are paid for being better than their competitors. Not sure why you see anything wrong with that, unless you are a communist.

- ST, London, 11/01/2011 16:15
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Dear me, the fascisti have had a good christmas and are out in force.What more proof do the heel clickers need that the firefighters were lied to.And still these straight arm saluters give them stick.

- colin, barking essex, 11/01/2011 16:14
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Spoilt and pampered!!!!

I sit in a nice office all day yet get paid more than a firefighter!! I think this is a disgrace yet I get told by a firefighter that they don't become a firefighter for the wages.

The strikes are to stop fire stations from shutting down and therefore putting londoners at risk (ie people who are calling them spoilt and pampered).

When you are are prepare to run into a burning building for a terrible wage and little thanks then you will have the right to run down these fine men and women who save lives everyday and don't complain!!!!

- Alison, Guildford, 11/01/2011 16:08
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Kathy Doyle, if all worker's on the past took your advice we would still have children up chimmneys, oh, hang on a mo!

- Colin, Bristol, 11/01/2011 16:05
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Let the dog wag the tail - not the other way around.

If any kind of worker is unhappy with his or her job or pay, conditions etc. go and find another job !

- Kathy Doyle, London,

That’s what they said in the Cotton Mills years ago; and your right Kathy; those that were unhappy with the pay and conditions, were stuffed up chimneys.

- mickinlondon., london, 11/01/2011 15:47
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"Can we start on introducing driverless tubes trains once this is out of the way.- Andy, London

Yes, but they will need a few dummies just to sit in the driver's cab to test how well the brakes operate.

I think you would be suited for that job Andy!

- John Smith, London, EUSSR, 11/01/2011 15:42
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David, as much as I'm sure you'd love to disagree, the underground is not an essential service.
There are many forms of transportation - Buses, National Rail, Mini Cab, Taxi, car and of course our legs!
To ban a human right you have to have a good solid reason for doing so.

As for the rest of you that slander our firemen - who does the full day's work you or them?

- Anon, London, 11/01/2011 15:39
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Let the dog wag the tail - not the other way around.

If any kind of worker is unhappy with his or her job or pay, conditions etc. go and find another job !

- Kathy Doyle, London, 11/01/2011 15:30
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Who do you need when you are trapped in your car ,or in a burning house.Our firemen and women do a wonderful job.God bless them all.

- edward, london, 11/01/2011 15:16
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"Do the same with the tube drivers and spare the populace and commuters from these spoilt pampered workers, who are in need a hard dose of economic reality.
- Jason, London"

I agree, and make the new contracts include a ban on strikes. For both firefighters and the tube workers. They both provide essential services and should not be allowed to strike.

Although I also think that firefighters should be treated with greater respect by the employers as they do a very difficult and dangerous job. Whereas tube drivers just think they are important.

- David, London, UK, 11/01/2011 15:14
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I hope they go back on strike, Coleman (who is simultaneously trying to clamp down on reporting of his activities and stop questions being posed by London's elected representatives) clearly wants to provoke more strikes in a vital public service. He needs to go, and soon, he's Boris's worst appointment by a country mile.

"Good, privatise the service."

Well, you're a bloody idiot, aren't you? Hey, let's create another unaccountable private monopoly given a licence to dip into the public purse, just like the railways. That worked.

Clue: private enterprise works when proper competition means they're scared the customers might go somewhere else. If we can't go anywhere else, they'll fill their boots with our money, and therefore those services that are not suitable for the introduction of competition should be publicly run and publicly accountable. End of story.

"Can we start on introducing driverless tubes trains once this is out of the way."

Oh, please. Rip out all the signalling systems that have just been installed in the Victoria and Jubilee at vast cost and inconvenience? You haven't thought this one through, Andy.

"The problem with the tube strikes is caused by RMT leader Red Bob Crow"

Which is why the TSSA and ASLEF are on strike, I presume? There are *three* main Tube unions and Boris has managed to get them all striking at the same time. Bob Crow only runs one of them, and besides it's the one without many tube drivers in. Tsk. Those pesky facts, eh

- Tom, London, UK, 11/01/2011 15:10
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Boris

Do the same with the tube drivers and spare the populace and commuters from these spoilt pampered workers, who are in need a hard dose of economic reality.

- Jason, London, 11/01/2011 15:05
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A lot of firemen die doing their jobs, as do the police etc; but how many authority white collars die sitting at their desks?

Unless it happens after eating and drinking too much; and they have a heart attack, which I guess, some do.

Still the figures and statistics would be good to see?

- mickinlondon., london, 11/01/2011 15:05
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Our firefighters do an excellent job regardless of what a few office lumps think.
Unfortunately Rodders, there are alot of ignorant people in the world, and many regulars that read this paper make up quite a percentage of them. Perhaps it's an infection known as Torylitis!

- Anon, London, 11/01/2011 14:58
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Good. Do the same with the tube strikers.

- ST, London,

Don't forget the bankers, ST.

- mickinlondon., london, 11/01/2011 14:56
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What a surprise, the usual ill informed comments........
Sack 'em all??!
Another person who clearly has no pride in his employment.
Privatise??!
Think of what u are saying....privatise an emergency service?? Pointless you comment as you are clearly misguided.
All this could be stopped without the toad Coleman.
What a crazy world.

- Sausage Gumbo, Clapham, 11/01/2011 14:50
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The problem with the tube strikes is caused by RMT leader Red Bob Crow and his socialist class war that he's been fighting. It isn't the tube drivers.

- Adam, Harrow, UK,

You forget Adam; the tube drivers pay his wages, and belong to the same union he is employed by etc.

If Bob Crow was in Banking, he would represent them instead; it has nothing to with class; more to do with his job, and that is looking after union members best interests etc.

I say this, being a non-union-member of any union.

- mickinlondon., london, 11/01/2011 14:50
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First let me say that regardless of the sustained campaign of the last few months to vilify the rank and file of Londons' firefighters, they continue to place themselves in harms' way day in and day out.
This entire episode has been caused by the attempt to impose his will on all concerned by Brian Coleman, the most divisive politician the London authority has ever seen.
I am a lifelong conservative but find it impossible to stomach even the sight of this odious creature.
Boris should show some real leadership and remove this man from his post and allow the people of reason, on both sides, to reach a settlement which I am sure would be achieved within hours.

- Martin, London, 11/01/2011 14:41
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I will admit i am against the firefighters strikes etc. The police have to take whatever shift pattern the management throw at us without the luxury of strikes etc...the police want 12hr shifts but we've had them taken from us - tough! firefighters don't want 12hr shifts...fancy a swap??

I think now, the fire authority (mr Coleman especially) don't care about talks.. they want to flex their muscles and show they are in charge and don't care who is in their way.

What happens if they sack everyone and no one applies for their job back? london burns??

- JAY, LONDON, 11/01/2011 14:28
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BA cabin crew staff who are balloting whether to strike again or not......Take note,"sacked and offered re-employment on new terms and conditions of employment". Think on turkeys

- James, Surrey, 11/01/2011 14:04
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Quote: Fire brigade chiefs are preparing to sack all 5,500 London firefighters despite their decision to end industrial action.
The Tory-controlled London Fire Authority is expected to vote at an emergency meeting on Thursday to force all frontline staff onto new contracts with changed shift patterns.


Could the Tory controlled Government do the same with the Bankers?

If it’s good for London fire-fighters; it must be the same for London Bankers?

- mickinlondon., london, 11/01/2011 13:32
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The problem with the tube strikes is caused by RMT leader Red Bob Crow and his socialist class war that he's been fighting. It isn't the tube drivers.

- Adam, Harrow, UK, 11/01/2011 13:27
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Before slagging us all off - have a look at another ES story in the last 24 hours to see how we do our job. Privatisation?

- Rodders, London, 11/01/2011 13:22
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Good. Do the same with the tube strikers.

- ST, London, 11/01/2011 13:01
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Good, privatise the service.
Can we start on introducing driverless tubes trains once this is out of the way.

- Andy, London, 11/01/2011 12:48
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Sack them all!

Oh, hang on....

- Weybridge Resident, Weybridge, Surrey, 11/01/2011 12:44
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