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Victory for firefighters facing dismissal in Manchester
Bosses have withdrawn the threat to sack all Greater Manchester firefighters (Click to enlarge)
Becci Heagney, Manchester Socialist Party
Over 50 Fire Brigades Union (FBU) reps from around Greater Manchester met, along with FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack and President Alan McLean, to discuss their response to the outrageous move by Greater Manchester Fire Authority to sack its entire workforce. The meeting agreed to fight "using every legal, political and industrial weapon" they have.
Plans to re-engage 80% of the 1,250 firefighters on worse contracts were met with resistance from the FBU - and they have had the overwhelming support from the public.
Now the fire authority has backed down and withdrawn the threat of mass dismissal and agreed to re-enter negotiations. However, they have not retreated completely and are still likely to try to make cuts.
Everyone needs to get behind the firefighters and call on the Labour councillors that sit on the Fire Authority to oppose all cuts to jobs and services - they should be launching a mass campaign to demand more money from the Tories.
See also an earlier article:
All Greater Manchester firefighters face sack
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