FIRE STRIKE

WHY don't the firemen accept the wages and conditions of the police force and the police's 'no strike' clause?

Firefighters chose the job and many families live on far less than they get. Perhaps a few weeks without wages will prove how well they are treated. Their hours of work are not all spent attending fires. The country cannot afford to breach the pay policy. - Olive Fish, Leyburn.

THERE is a myth regarding the firefighters', and other public sector workers', pensions.

A firefighter can retire at 55 on full pension. In practice 70 per cent retire much earlier due to sickness. This sickness seemingly occurs beneficially at the precise time to receive the maximum benefit.

The firefighter and other public sector workers benefit from a much superior pension than the public sector. This, the firefighter and other public sector workers explain, is due to their higher contributions.

Not true.

The average public sector worker contributes 1.5 per cent of income to the pension scheme; the Government contributes 18.5 per cent. The private sector's contribution is five per cent. Apart from the policemen and firefighters, the retirement age is 60 for public sector workers compared with 65 for private sector workers. Five years' more contributions should realise a better pension to the private sector. Unfortunately this is not the case. - M Kellett, Durham.

A FEW industry fat cats are getting an exorbitant pay rise but that is not a reason to shout: "We want more." If the firemen get a pay increase above 14 per cent all other public workers will feel dissatisfied. I would like to see some meaningful communication between Government and union leaders. Meanwhile, I think the army lads are doing their best. - FM Atkinson, Shincliffe.

I WOULD like to acknowledge the sheer professionalism shown by members of the fire brigade on Saturday when they abandoned their picket lines to attend a serious accident on the road between Aycliffe and Rushyford.

Anyone witnessing the way they dealt with the situation couldn't fail to have been impressed. This was quite obviously a routine job to them, but I feel they should have been recognised for the exceptional work that they do. - S Fell, Darlington.

FORTY per cent pay rise and no strings attached or a 48-hour strike. Then a 17 per cent pay rise with no strings attached or an eight-day strike. Then a 16 per cent pay rise with strings attached. Now a four per cent pay rise and any extra tied to modernisation. All this time the army with 50-year-old fire engines seem to be coping, so what is Tony Blair's next step? Close down the fire stations and the break-up of the fire brigades as pre-1948? - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

ACCORDING to our right-wing Thatcherite Prime Minister Tony Blair, there is not enough money to pay the firefighters. Yet even if the most conservative estimates are used, the entire deal agreed by local government employers and the Fire Brigades Union would have cost £200m.

Despite that fact the country cannot afford to provide these essential service workers with a decent wage, Mr Blair can find £4bn to aid a future American invasion of Iraq.

Of course the role of the firefighters is not that important. They only save children from fires and cut people bleeding to death from car crashes. The armed forces will have a much more important job to do. They will be given the job of killing thousands of Iraqi civilians in order that American petroleum companies can steal their oil reserves. - J Gilmore, Bishop Auckland.

THE Queen's Speech was the usual rhetoric because I am still to see Tony Blair's equal and fair society.

The country is being held to ransom by unions, billions are being wasted on the drugs problem and yet, time after time, we are told we are losing the battle. In other words, we are wasting our hard-earned cash.

Train drivers earn £600 for a 35-hour week yet the same company pays its bus drivers £250 for a 45-hour minimum working week.

There are many private sector workers worried about losing their jobs, yet well-paid public sector workers have security until they retire at 55 or younger and still consider themselves badly paid.

It is ironic that the last time the fire service was on strike Labour was in power. - John Young, Crook.

THE Fire Brigades Union came to an agreement with the employers, but John Prescott was not prepared to discuss the deal in the middle of the night.

So we can look forward to Tony Blair's response to a phone call from George W Bush announcing that it is time to start the war on Iraq.

"George, do you realise what the time is? Look, George, this war could cost billions of pounds. I can't possibly just write a blank cheque without consulting Parliament. It's uncosted and half-baked. I am not even going to discuss it at this time of night. Good night, George." - Pete Winstanley, Durham.

THERE needs to be a radical rethink on how our firefighting services are to be managed in the long term.

Years ago, there was a perceived need to have trained foot soldiers available to the captains of our naval vessels. Thus, the Royal Marines came into being.

More recently there was a perceived need to have infantry specifically trained and equipped to defend RAF bases. The RAF Regiment was born.

It is perhaps appropriate to consider raising a new regiment with specific responsibility for firefighting and other civil defence duties. Such a force could be controlled by the army and be part of our armed services.

Its management could surely not be worse than that which currently exercises fragmented control over our fire brigades. Rates of pay would be in accordance with the army units which are providing cover during the present emergency. - Alan Benn, Bedale.