The Fire Brigades Union yesterday gave an undertaking in the High Court not to hinder or intimidate emergency crews provided by private company AssetCo during today’s and tomorrow’s strike.
London Fire Brigade had gone to court seeking an injunction but the matter was settled by agreement.
John Cavanagh QC, representing London Fire Brigade, told Justice Butterfield that his clients had a duty under law to provide protection whether there was a strike or not.
He said the industrial action had the support of a ballot and he was not seeking to prevent it.
He wanted an order preventing pickets using intimidation, and stopping trespass at fire stations and hindering fire engines.
Counsel for the FBU, Antony White QC, insisted that the FBU was only interested in helping lawful picketing.
White said the FBU was prepared to make the undertaking which included:
No picketing which hinders access to and from a fire station;
No occupation of fire stations;
Number of pickets limited to ten at each fire station;
No intimidation of replacement firefighters.
Following the High Court ruling, Chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, Brian Coleman, said: ‘Even at this late stage it is not too late for the FBU to call off their strike tomorrow.’
Before the hearing, FBU general secretary Matt Wrack commented: ‘Seeking this injunction is a cynical decision by London Fire Brigade management to derail negotiations which the FBU entered in good faith today to try to avoid tomorrow’s strike.’
‘Frontline firefighters have put up with lying attacks on their professionalism by their bosses, and violent attacks and injury to three of our members mown down by vehicles driven by strikebreakers hire by LFB.’
(FBU) Scotland Regional Official Jim Malone told News Line yesterday: ‘There will be a Region 1 attendance over the strike period tomorrow and Saturday.
He said the attempt to get picketing banned in the courts, ‘shows LFB are increasingly desperate about their ability to serve the people of London without the scab operation.’
