FIREFIGHTERS are at the forefront of the fight back against the cuts. In Nottingham and Preston the Fire Brigades' demonstrations against the cuts last week that attracted big turnouts.
Nottineham uniformed firefighters from all over the country marched through the represented a quarter of the total membership of the union.
There were also delegations from the north of Ireland, ober local government unions, the Scottish miners and the Nottingham 'Save Our Nurseries campaign. Itwasthetirstin a series of national demonstrations planned by the FBU in thetight to maintain the present level of jobs and service within the fire service.
The next day 1,200 FBU members marched through the SUCCES of headquarters of the Lancashire county council, when plans L‹m Cuts.
Last month an explosion at Atwaters, a Preston factory, resulted in the death of two employees. The local fire service had toseek help from the manchester area to deal with the crisis, but this did not stop the county council calling it over staffed and over equipped'.
The FBU number 5 region has responded by campaigning in the factories on the issue of health and safety to win support for their lobby and demonstration, against the cuts.
Cuts in the fireservice that have already been announced present a fearsome Nottingnam: 22 firetighters have been served with redundancy notices; in West Yorkshire 150 jobsareduetogo; in Norfolk sackings have been announced.
It's not just a question of jobs either, many tire engines are being taken out ot service Nottingham demonstration because the redundancy notices had already been served, and the response from FBU members bodes well for a militant fight against the run-down of services.
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Union organised
on Wednesday, 8,500 city centre. I nIS Prestor the Tally: picture: In was the scene of the first fight,' SOME ET GET I Preston Firefighters march against, the cuts , The Tory council's claim that the cuts would not affect adequate fire cover in the county was met with a roar of derision at the Nottingham Terry Parry, , general secretary of the FBU and current TUC chairperson, stressed that the union was opposed to all cuts in local authority services, not just those that affected the fire services. He urged all trades unionists to link up the struggles against the cuts.
'Nottingham is just Parry said. shall demonstrations and I shall be out in front leading them. We saw it over the Indüstrial Relations Bill and I think we shall see it again:
'Things are going to get tough,' he added. YES RECION Fire Brigades Union x LANCASHIRE BRIGADE