Essex firefighters vote to strike over budget cuts
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.FIREFIGHTERS in Essex are to strike next Monday after voting overwhelmingly to take industrial action in protest at budget cuts, their union announced yesterday. Military Green Goddess fire engines will be drafted in as emergency cover during the four-hour strike from 10am.
Members of the county's Fire Brigades' Union backed industrial action by 642 votes to 272, a majority of 70 per cent.
The union is protesting at plans to cut more than pounds 1m from the authority's budget, which will lead to job losses.
An FBU spokesman said: "The prospect of strike action is now a reality unless the Essex fire authority comes to its senses and uses some of its pounds 28m reserves to settle this dispute."
Green Goddesses were used in Essex a year ago during a strike against cuts by the union.
Ken Cameron, general secretary of the FBU, said: "This dispute and the industrial action it now brings is totally as a result of the crass stubbornness of the Essex Fire Authority in not using a small proportion of the pounds 26m they have in reserve." The Essex Fire Authority made no comment.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments