NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY 22 NOVEMBER, 2002
FIREFIGHTERS DISPUTE "MAINTAIN DIALOGUE, BUILD SOLIDARITY" SAYS STUC
From Belfast, where he is attending a joint meeting of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Scottish TUC, Wales TUC and British TUC, STUC General Secretary, Bill Speirs, said:
"It is disappointing, to say the least, that the Government could apparently not endorse an agreement between the Fire Brigades Union and the employers. It is deeply worrying that representatives of the employers are now openly saying that they believe that the Government agenda is to break the Union.
"The Government should make available the resources that local authority employers agree are necessary to give our firefighters a decent wage. The fact that the strike is underway should not stop dialogue among all parties involved.
"In the meantime, the STUC will be doing everything we can to build and maintain solidarity with our sisters and brothers in the Fire Service."
Ends For further information and comment, contact:
Bill Speirs