Industrial Action (firemen, scottish water, nursery nurses etc)

[AlanG]

this thread to be used to discuss the ongoing disputes between these groups and the governments. For a start, my brief understanding of the three situations.

--Firefighters--

Firemen want higher pay to reflect their professional status, alongside the high cost of living in some areas. This is also due to the pay raises not being linked to inflation for 25years, so pay now less in real terms than 25years ago. Independant review suggests 40%. Government offer 16% (rounded up of course) over 4 years, which due to inflation works our at 1.09% per year. In addition to this they want to cut firefighter jobs. FBU were willing to accept the payraise after long negotiations only for Prescott to withdraw it at last minute. Now the government are going to impose pay change on firefighters.

--Nursery Nurses--
Nursery nurses have been negotiationg for 18months for new pay deal. Currently they start at 10K and raise to 13K after 8years. Their side of arguement is that they play a vital role in the beginning of childrens education. Governments is to claim they sit around all day playing with bairns. Due to stage strikes.

--Scottish Water--
losing money, want to cut 1000jobs, alongside giving giant bonuses to directors etc. Jobs will be lost in Dundee and the source plant of the waterbug in Glasgow last year was closed down and its services moved to Edinburgh(i think) where they have no license to test for the same things as the Glasgow plant did. Recent press reports say that 2/3 of the pipes in Scotland need replaced.