This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Parliamentary statement on fire strike
29/01/2003
Justice Minister Jim Wallace made a statement in
Parliament today on industrial action called by the Fire
Brigades Union.
He said:
"It is right that I should report to Parliament about
the increasingly unsatisfactory situation brought about by
industrial action called by the Fire Brigades Union in
their long running dispute.
"The country has had to endure a series of strikes by
members of the Fire Brigades Union, the latest starting
yesterday morning, and the next set to begin on Saturday.
Be under no illusion. This action puts public safety at
risk. And it is unjustified because the dispute can, and
should, be resolved in negotiation.
"It is the risk to safety that requires Scottish
Ministers, like our colleagues in the UK Government, to
protect the public by ensuring that emergency fire cover is
provided. We are very grateful to the service men and women
- from Army, Navy and Airforce - to the police and to those
retained firefighters who have continued to provide a
service to protect the public. For the Armed Services in
particular, but also for the police, this is a diversion
from other priorities. It is also a drain on Scottish
taxpayers, day after day. And no matter how professionally
they address the task, those providing emergency cover
cannot provide the same level of protection as the
full-time service.
"It's worth remembering why the public are at risk. It
was the Fire Brigades Union who tabled a 40% pay claim. It
was the Fire Brigades Union who called strikes in support
of it. And it is the FBU which has used tactics which puts
public safety at risk and are designed to cause the most
inconvenience. Strikes of 8 days, one day, 2 days. Never
knowing until the last minute whether a strike is on or
off. Signals about a willingness to negotiate followed by a
withdrawal from negotiation. Blaming everyone and taking no
responsibility themselves. This action is unjustified,
unnecessary and damaging to the public.
"Most recently of all, it was the Fire Brigades Union
who refused to call off striking this week and negotiate at
ACAS. And this was even after the employers had withdrawn
what the FBU saw as unnecessary pre-conditions. Those talks
could have resolved this dispute - offering a fair pay deal
for firefighters and control room staff, based on
modernisation of the service to improve both efficiency and
public safety.
"That is what this issue is about - public safety. That
is what our aim is. And it is possible, as the Bain Inquiry
showed, that modernising the fire service, can offer a
better pay deal to firefighters
and enhance the safety of the public. What that
needs is one thing - willingness by the FBU to negotiate
with their employers. Not to walk away, not to threaten,
but to engage constructively in a dialogue. Instead we have
strike action - and scaremongering that it is modernisation
which threatens public safety. Let's be absolutely clear
about that. We will not threaten public safety and the
modernisation proposals we support will not do that either.
Quite the opposite. A modern, flexible and risk based
system can
improve both the protection of the public and the
terms and conditions of FBU members.
"Let me tell you what this means. What we will base our
reforms on and what we will not compromise on. It is about
making the public safer:
- safer, through better prevention of fires and
lowering risk
- safer, through allocating resources to respond at
the time and place of greatest risk to life and
property, using professional judgement based on the
best quality information and equipment.
- safer, by having a fire service which is open
equally to all, is well managed and led, works with
others to meet its aims, and uses all its resources as
efficiently as the best elsewhere in the public
sector.
"And we can do this through better management and
allocation of resources, and still release finance, to
allow a substantial pay rise for firefighters.
"But let me make it perfectly clear, we will not
compromise on public safety
"Let me turn now to the position and responsibilities of
government. Throughout this dispute, we have worked closely
with our colleagues in the UK Government - in setting up
the Bain Inquiry, in planning and implementing the
emergency fire cover that is operating today, and in
seeking to bring about a negotiated settlement to this long
running dispute. Our priority throughout, as Scottish
Ministers, has been the safety of the public. And in making
our decisions on these matters we will put Scotland and the
Scottish Fire Service first.
"That remains our position, and that of the UK
Government. This dispute must be solved in negotiation.
"Scottish Ministers share the Deputy Prime Minister's
view that this dispute can and should be resolved through
National negotiations. Why? Pay and conditions in
the Fire Service have been determined satisfactorily on a
UK basis for many years. UK negotiations are what both
employers and unions have wanted and still want. This
dispute was started on a national basis. The strikes were
called - and the emergency cover provided - on a national
basis. The attempts by the employers to make progress in
constructive negotiations have been on a national basis.
The solution - and there will be a solution - will be on a
national basis too.
"The Deputy Prime Minister has said he will seek powers
of direction - of a kind government once had - over the
fire authorities. Both the First Minister and I have spoken
to Ministerial colleagues in England about this. What we
sought and what we got was and agreement that this is a
matter on which there will be consultation with Scottish
Ministers. These are consultations that we will engage in
actively. And we ourselves will consult with our fire
service employers, and more widely. Our objectives are the
same as they have always been:
- First and foremost, to deliver a fire service that
protects the public
- to encourage a negotiated settlement to this dispute -
and more generally a negotiated approach to fire service
pay;
- and to do this, on the basis of a United Kingdom set
of terms and conditions of service, which the Fire Service
has long enjoyed;
- to have a fire service that is locally accountable and
which takes forward a determined and radical programme of
modernisation.
"We will wish to examine all options available to meet
our objectives.
"It is important to understand that a system of
negotiation and local accountability can be wholly
consistent with appropriate powers for Ministers to
act.
"In particular on pay and conditions, the Bain Report
offers not just a solution to the immediate dispute but
also makes constructive and interesting proposals for pay
determination machinery. These are based on negotiation
between employers and unions. There would be provision for
conciliation if need be and a clear role for Central
Government in agreeing the outcome. I refer the Chamber to
paragraph 10-28 of the Report. While there are attractions
in the Bain proposals - in this respect as in others, they
do need proper consultation and detailed consideration.
"Let me expand on our approach. In the first instance, I
will want to have discussions with Fire Service employers
in Scotland. Indeed, I and some of my Ministerial
colleagues met representatives of the Scottish employers
this morning to begin this. And there are others whose
views are relevant. We have, for example, already had
approaches from the STUC. These discussions - and our own
clear objectives - will inform our approach to the
consultations with the UK Government over the coming
weeks.
"We have to bear in mind 2 other factors in addition.
This Parliament has made it clear that issues of this
sensitivity and importance need proper and detailed
consideration by this Parliament. Ministers wholly respect
that. I also have to bear in mind that in a period of weeks
this Parliament will be dissolved. No responsible
Government can ever rule out the possibility that
circumstances may be such that we would find it necessary
to seek urgent legislative change. However, having regard
to these considerations I do not envisage, that in the
remaining weeks of this Parliament we would be in a
position to come forward with firm legislative proposals
for Scotland, whether in terms of a Sewel Motion or a
Bill.
"The real issue here, however, is that that same period
of weeks is the opportunity for the Fire Brigades Union to
return to the negotiating table from which they walked away
this week. To sit down and talk; to agree a fair pay deal
for their members, based on much needed modernisation so
that the public will be safer and be better served. On that
Scottish Ministers are agreed, on that we are
determined."