HERTFORDSHIRE fire crews have given seven day’s notice of two eight hour blocks of industrial action on 15 and 20 May.
They said late proposals from the fire authority were too little, too late and a vain attempt to gloss over cuts to frontline fire services.
The fire authority has been formally notified that industrial action has been set for l5 and 20 May from 14.00 hours until 22.00 hours on both days. It follows an eight to one vote in favour of strike action in a secret ballot.
Hertfordshire FBU vice-chair Tony Smith said: ‘The action of fire crews is aimed at stopping cuts to the 999 service to save cash.
‘We are taking our action to protect the 999 service because every day of our working lives shows us how important it is.
‘The short term action will minimise the impact on the public, and fire crews will be available for normal working immediately before and after lawful periods of action.
‘In contrast, the planned cuts would make our work less safe and the public less safe 365 days a year for years to come.
‘There remains seven full days available to reach an agreement which is acceptable to both sides. None of us want to take any action but we have been left with little choice when we look at the savage cuts we are still facing.
‘Despite the gloss being lavished on their last set of proposals, the real substance of the cuts remains; this is far too little, far too late.
‘Although we did win a reprieve for two of the frontline posts under threat, over 40 frontline firefighter posts will still be lost and Radlett and Bovingdon stations will still close with 23 frontline firefighters at those stations facing redundancy.
‘There would be a short-term respite for some of the frontline posts under threat at Watford. But Royston station would still be downgraded and lose frontline posts. Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans would still lose a total of 12 frontline firefighter posts and three command and control officer posts would also still be lost.
