[user104658]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

I agree with all that Toy Soldier and I usually do on your posts too.

I don't think strike action is a good way forward myself but I have to say, if the govt refuses to re-negotiate the contracts, if it dismisses your suggestions and unless you are going to agree with their new plans they don't even set up talks.
How can notice be brought to the problem and issues involved.This govt. on these new contracts are not in any way willing to compromise at all.

What then, in the light of that, other than strike, can the firefighters do.
I cannot think of anything, especially if the govt. keeps the door firmly closed and only wants to hear from you should be agreeing to all they want to do.

In an ideal world all that would be needed is promptly voting them out and making it clear that this is one of the reasons, and the next government being better. However, my faith in democracy is verging on non existent these days. I don't trust the public to have the common sense to vote this lot out, to not be duped by fiddled numbers relating to the economy and the illusions of inflated "employment" statistics... And even if they do, whilst I don't think they would initiate the same policies in the first place, I have little faith that any government that follows will reverse anything that has been done already and isn't overtly government related (e.g. Bedroom tax, MAYBE). They can get away with it in someone else's name.

SO, my second ideal world would be that a caring society should act on behalf of the emergency services. They go to work and protect us, as they do every day, and the rest of us strike / March / protest on their behalf.

But we won't. Because we're selfish. Meh... Maybe they SHOULD just let us burn?