UK News 02-12-2002 Government To Fire Brigades: We Don`t Need You who: Fire Brigades Union what: Accused of turning industrial pay dispute into political struggle when: This weekend snippet: "The Armed Forces coped comfortably with the eight-day fire strike and are changing working patterns to have more staff available at times of greatest risk," reports The Times prior to an internal government report which is expected to show that the military introduced radical modernisation to the fire service within the space of a few days during last week`s strike action. "Ministers will seize on the findings to argue that the army has already proved that joint control rooms and flexible staffing can greatly increase efficiency," says The Financial Times. "They will also make it clear that the government now feels it can tough out a strike for months if need be." Meanwhile, according to The Sun, Fire Brigades Union leader Andy Gilchrist has come under attack from Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and TUC president Nigel de Gruchy for trying to turn the pay dispute from an industrial action into a political attack on New Labour. However, Mr de Gruchy also attacked John Prescott for "wrecking" any chances of a 16% pay deal, reports The Independent. "The far bigger question," he said, "is why the Government wrecked the agreement that did set forward the possibility for very constructive talks to take place." "It`s a bit rich of ministers to accuse Andy Gilchrist of politicising this dispute," exchoes John Edmonds, general secretary of the GMB. "Remember that it was no one less than the Prime Minister himself who branded the FBU Scargillites." [... more]

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