Matters are, however, far from settled. When asked if the vote meant that things were over for the minute, Tony Carvel of the Fire Brigades Union replied,'More like for the second! Deals struck only last week are already being reneged on.'
CFO Best (who is not, apparently, the pin-up of the rank and file) had promised to rescind a ban on the booking of time off more than six days in advance. This has not been done. As well as complicating the personal lives of firefighters, this punitive arrangement effectively prevents FBU members from taking strike days as holiday, thus making the right to strike a privilege to be paid for.
The union is appealing to ACAS, and is fairly confident that arbitration will end in their favour.
Tony Carvel was asked why he thought Best was monkeying around in this fashion when he will eventually be forced to retract.
'Merseyside firefighters are being used as guinea pigs. The other chiefs are watching what happens. If Best gets away with something here, in a militant area, then the rest of them know that they can do the same thing in their regions.'
Best is in fact the Vice President of the Chief Fire - Officers Association, and as such well placed to keep his fellows up to the mark.
As more and more unions are forced to adopt local bargaining, it would seem that no such strictures apply to employers.
Adding fuel to an already incendiary situation, the joint working party on service provision will soon get under way. Tony Carvel expects further attacks on the level of service, with Merseyside maintaining its unenviable position as the laboratory in which Best and Co. see just how hard they can squeeze the workforce.
Best of luck to the FBU both in Liverpool and nationally! We'll keep you posted.
