STRIKE ACTION TAKEN AFTER MINISTER FAILS IN HIS DUTIES

BRANDON Lewis’s failure to return to the negotiating table resulted in the predicted industrial response last week, as firefighters underwent a half-day strike.

The Fire Minister’s unwillingness to liaise with union chiefs is an absolute disgrace, especially after the FBU went to great lengths to offer Mr Lewis chance after chance to talk.

 

I was hugely impressed with the attitude shown by firefighters during the four-hour strike, with many pledging that they would still be prepared to jump to action if an emergency required it.

 

That proves beyond doubt that they were motivated by their morals and ultimately committed to protecting the people they serve.

 

Which is more than can be said for Mr Lewis. Any morals he may have once had must have gone out of the window as soon as he was handed a ministerial role.

 

And as for protecting people? Mr Lewis’s firefighter pension plans, which have caused this storm, prove he cares not a jot for public safety and is only interested in saving a quick buck by throwing fitness standards to the wind.

 

Now we hear that all three of Derby’s fire stations are set to close – including two in my Derby North constituency – as the Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service desperately seeks to reduce costs in the light of Government cuts.

 

It is a huge worry in terms of response times and how safe people can feel in their own homes, and once again we are left looking to an uncaring Government to demand a fair deal for our city, by properly supporting this vital emergency service.

 

I was fortunate to meet with some of the striking firefighters during the Labour Party conference, and to hear first-hand their passion for the service and determination to fight for what they consider to be right.

 

They feel angry not just about the proposals to change their pensions, but also about the underhand way in which the Government, and Mr Lewis in particular, have sought to twist public opinion.

 

Misleading pension figures have been published and best-case, rather than realistic, scenarios detailed as Mr Lewis has attempted to win a PR battle.

 

And it should never have been about PR. Mr Lewis should have done his job and negotiated rather than try to spin his way out of trouble.

 

The FBU in Scotland have managed to secure more talks, so why wasn’t Mr Lewis prepared to extend the same courtesy to those in England?

 

It smacks of a Government which is out of touch and a Fire Minister who is well and truly out of his depth.