National Shop Stewards
Network
For justice in the workplace, workers rights, solidarity and equality - trade union freedom
FIREFIGHTERS HOSPITALISED
IN BRUTAL STRIKEBREAKING
Workers and trade unionists need to come
to fire-fighters' aid
T
rade unionists across the
capital will be horrified to hear
about the assault by strike-
breakers on FBU members lawfully
picketing fire stations during their
strike on Monday 1st November.
Striking London fire-fighter Tamer
Ozdemir and FBU national executive
member for London Ian Leahair
were hospitalised after being run
down by vehicles driven by strike
breakers provided by the private
firm AssetCo and managers.
The London Shop Stewards Network
pledges its full support to the FBU
in their struggle against a bullying
management; the vicious tactic of
issuing 90-day redundancy notices
to all London fire-fighters in order
to plough through unnegotiated
changes to shift patterns will
send a shiver down the spine of
workers in all sectors. If this tactic
is successful, it will be seen as a
green light to other employers to
force through changes to hard won
terms and conditions.
On top of the immediate issues
of the strike, the injuries that FBU
members sustained from strike-
breakers on Monday represent
a serious threat to the right of all
trade unionists to take industrial
action, withdraw their labour and
organise pickets. We call on all trade
What you can do: Send letters of protest to ron.dobson@london-fire.gov.uk; Send messages
of solidarity to ian.leahair@fbu.org.uk; Visit your local firestations picket line on the 5th
November; Request a health and safety impact assesment at your workplace.
www.shopstewards.net
unionists to
express their
disgust at
AssetCo and
London Fire
Authority
managers by
sending letters
of protest to:
ron.dobson@
london-fire.
gov.uk.
The London
believe that it is perfectly legitimate
Shop Stewards Network also
to pursue the serious health and
believes that this scab crew is a
safety concerns that all trade
danger to the health and safety of
unionists will have about working
workers throughout the city. With
on days when the FBU is on strike.
only 12 days training, they are not
qualified to deal with callouts and We also believe that if, at the end of
November, the 90-day redundancy
do not have the capacity or the skill
to deal with emergencies in the notices are implemented and
capital. London Fire Authority carry out
their threat of mass sackings then
We therefore believe that trade
workers across London need to be
unionists in every workplace should
ready to respond with trade union-
be requesting health and safety
wide solidarity action.
audits, which should include trade
union consultation, into the safety The London Shop Stewards Network
of opening businesses and services stands ready to help organise any
on strike days. We recognise that protests or practical expressions of
actual solidarity strike action is solidarity that the FBU calls for and
difficult to organise due to the urges all workers to do the same.
prohibitive anti-trade union laws We are reliant on the heroic service
put into place by Thatcher and that the fire-fighters provide every
kept their by successive Tory and day of the year; now, they need our
Labour governments. However, we support in return.
info@shopstewards.net 07952 283 558