RR7750A BRITAIN FIREMEN ON STRIKE

(16 Dec 1977) RR7750A BRITAIN FIREMEN ON STRIKE
Britain's firemen claim they have been left behind in
the pay race, now well below the national average
wage for manual workers, while their hours are long
and their work, dangerous. Their frustration reached
a peak after official reports, recommending substantial
pay rises, were ignored by a government bent at
preserving its anti-inflation clamp-down on wages. In
retaliation, the firemen have employed shock tactics,
calling the country's first-ever national firemen's
strike. Despite the spectre of uncontrolled infernos,
the government has called the firemen's bluff and
now there's deadlock.
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[@patgeorge1]

I left the army early 75 and joined the fire service in autumn the same year. While pay was poor when I was in the Army it was worse in the fire service. The media said that a married soldier with one child took home less pay. I as a fireman with the same family circumstances took home slightly more pay. I had to pay for my rented house and furniture on the never never! A soldiers rent and furnishings were taken off his pay before he got it. Nine weeks of misery for me and my family but we got a decent pay rise in the end. As a bonus the military services also got a pay rise.The public saw that all these essential workers were very poorly paid.

[@iwasglad122]

Lived through the strike but wasn't aware that two soldiers had died when their GG overturned. A tragedy for their families and fellow squaddies.

[@tomhollandroberts1737]

I was also on strike at the time. I held a senior rank. One evening whilst on picket duty we received a fire call to our local hospital. I drove the Pump Escape appliance and was followed by two other fire appliances. When we arrived at the incident some short-arsed "junior doctor" told us we were not welcome. I pushed him aside and ordered the men to do a thorough search of the hospital. Thankfully no fire was discovered. Now these same "junior doctors" are forever going on strike. Funny old world isn't it.

[@bobskiggs7833]

I was one of those firemen in the 1970's. The bottom line is; then and even more so now the country is going broke and things can only get worse!

[@bobSCOTT99]

So was my dad and he'd only been in the fire brigade for two years at that point

[@eamonnevans8005]

and striking doesn't help.

[@rapman5791]

Pip Pip Hooray! Bob’s your uncle

[@jonathanburn964]

Year ?

[@bobSCOTT99]

1977

[@bubbajohn8131]

bobSCOTT99. And into 1978. It was rough.

[@EnidAgnusDei]

rubbish that the green goddess wasn't as good as a modern machine in some ways they are better and far more reliable tan the shite the brigades use now.

[@bubbajohn8131]

Red Shutter Photography. Green Goddess’ only took two weeks to get to 30mph. They were garbage.

[@cvince2862]

Wow, YOU are an expert!

[@tomhollandroberts1737]

and when you let out the clutch in first gear on a Green Goddess the whole appliance jumped up and down like a kangaroo. The pumps were vastly over rated for town's hydrant water supplies with their 1000 gallon a minute capability. I'm glad that these rubbish appliances have now been withdrawn. Glad that Harold Wilson disbanded the AFS completely. @@bubbajohn8131

[@brillo5957]

Green Godess slow, no high pressure hose reels, crash gearbox. rubbish in comparison with modern appliances.

[@brillo5957]

Tell that to the guys in Berkshire at the time who had had two men killed in Reading in September 1977.

[@eamonnevans8005]

Striking is a very arrogant and immoral way to behave. Why did they become Fire Fighters in the first place? Surely, not for the money. They should have know what they would be paid once they started their careers. Fireman and Paramedics should be banned from striking like the Police and Prison Officers.

[@JamesSmith-ro2tz]

Grow up!

[@eamonnevans8005]

@@JamesSmith-ro2tz Nope.

[@JamesSmith-ro2tz]

@@eamonnevans8005 Distinct difference between the Services. Injuries and fatalities in the FireService. Comments are easy from a sheltered life.

[@eamonnevans8005]

@@JamesSmith-ro2tz I grew up in the care of Social Services. Your move.

[@JamesSmith-ro2tz]

@@eamonnevans8005 Sorry to hear that, but Firefighters etc are not slaves. They have a right to protest when their working conditions deteriorate.