For the first time in their entire history, firefighters in North Yorkshire have voted to take industrial action short of strike action.
Their 90% yes vote shows the overwhelming strength of feeling against local plans to reduce firefighter numbers by introducing ‘tactical response vehicles’, trucks that look a bit like fire engines but that will only carry crews of two’s and three’s instead of the minimum of four needed to fight a fire. These proposals are totally inadequate to meet the needs of firefighters who are called out to incidents.
Steve Howley, North Yorkshire Fire Brigades Union (FBU) brigade secretary, said: “Our members locally have sent a clear message to the managers of the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) who are driving through these dangerous ways of working in a desperate attempt to cover up current firefighter shortages.
"These proposals are not only a cut in the level of service the tax payers pay for. They pose a danger to the public and firefighters alike. It is an utter disgrace.
“This move will without any doubt cost lives, and today’s overwhelming vote from our members for industrial action is a clear message that firefighters are not prepared to stand by and accept this devastating move. They will fight to defend their safety and that of their communities.”
FBU health and safety reps have this week issued a ‘safety critical notice’ to the service (which was copied to the Health and Safety Executive) as a direct result of NYFRS’s failure to provide adequate responses to the serious concerns that have been repeatedly raised by the FBU.
Steve Howley concluded: “My message to the chief fire officer and that of our members is simple: get around the negotiating table and solve this dispute amicably before a member of the public or a firefighter gets hurt or killed.”
