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New Shift Changes For Firefighters: Navin Shah AM welcomes an end to the dispute

Today’s meeting of the London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority saw London saved from further strike action by London’s firefighters.  At a specially-convened meeting of the Authority, new shift patterns for London’s firefighters were agreed subject to endorsement by the FBU’s London Regional Committee meeting tomorrow.

Speaking after the meeting, Labour's Leader on the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, Navin Shah said:

“This is the best news Londoners have had against all expectations and I welcome the commitment of the FBU in signing up to the shift changes.”

“Our tabled Amendment, supported by all the opposition groups, to bring a further report on the negotiations as planned to the Authority meeting on 27 January would have allowed our Commissioner, Ron Dobson, to negotiate a collective settlement at the earliest opportunity.  It is scandalous that the Amendment was voted down purely for party political reasons by the Conservatives.  Throughout the industrial dispute Brian Coleman’s conduct has been disgraceful but I hope the Authority will recover from the damage he has caused to its reputation. ”

“The Labour Group has said all along that a negotiated settlement is the only way forward and I am delighted we now have reached a scenario where the threat of imposing new contracts on our firefighters by confrontational Chairman Brian Coleman and his Conservative Group has been lifted. I very much hope that the union’s London Regional Committee agrees this at its meeting tomorrow and Londoners can look forward to getting back their missing 27 fire engines without further delay.”  

 

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13th November 2010