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ESCALATe oUR STRIKeS To WIN

O
ur strikes are back on! In England and Wales were striking on Friday 1 November from 18.30-23.00, and Monday 4 November 06.00-08.00. This is a great chance for us to hit the employers and hit the headlines. The action means we can get our case across. The government is attacking all workers to make us pay for the economic crisis caused by the bankers and politicians. Thats why our first strike received such support and thats why we can expect more support for further action. Millions of people know that as workers we really are all in it together. The movement by the government on capability is not enough to guarantee firefighters wont be sacked without a pension just for getting older. So we need to fight. Our latest strikes are only happening as a result of the pressure applied by rank and file FBU members. Thousands of firefighters opposed the cancellation of the five hour strike on Saturday 19 October. Thats why London, GMC and Merseyside all backed motions calling to get the action back on with an immediate 24 hour strike. We havent got 24 hours, yet, but the campaign is back on. These regions also criticised the decision not to strike in Scotland. That decision has serious implications for our campaign. The union and the employers extended the usual time to take action to 56 days from 29 August. This has now expired and a reballot would be needed to take action legally in Scotland. They called for a refocusing of our campaign to include the other points of our dispute such as actuarial reductions, contribution increases, cost ceilings and employee/employer contribution ratios which have not been resolved north or south of the border. Every FBU member should build the strikes and make them as active as possible. We should ask trade unionists and campaigners to visit our picket lines.

Now the strikes are back on

Its great that thousands of workers from different unions have been striking this week. But weve also seen Unite sign up to a really bad deal at the giant Grangemouth plant after company bosses threatened it with closure. And leaders of civil service workers, postal workers and teachers have pulled back from planned national strikes.

Defend

Harder

Its crucial that our union leaders call more and harder hitting strikes after 4 November. There should be no further suspension of our strikes until we win. And where possible our strikes should be coordinated with other unions like the university workers unions (Unite, UCU & Unison) who took action on Thursday (31 October) and probation officers (NAPO) who are set to strike on 5 November.

We wont defend our jobs, pensions, pay and services by pulling out of action. Well only defend them by fighting back! We can win the battle over pensions. We have huge public support and we are part of a wider fight against the government. On Tuesday 5 November the Peoples Assembly, backed by the TUC have called a day of action. It would be great for FBU members to join the protests and link our campaign to the anti austerity movement. But the bottom line is we have to escalate our action to win.

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Firefighters 31/10/13

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