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Originally posted by Volksjoolz another persons views on the fire strikes! --- Its illegal for fire fighters to strike in almost every other country --- Italian fireman get £12,000 a year- with cost of living adjustment, thats £15,000 by our standards --- If the soldiers cant do the job as they say, they are risking lives and they are admitting it --- A blue collar, public service occupation does not warrant £30k+ per year. If thats what you want, join the private sector, there are hundreds of people quite happy to do it for £21k --- They sound like doctors- 'I do 96hrs a week because I came in 7am Monday and am here until 7am tomorrow'. No, muppet, you are ON CALL for 96 hours. Then 4 days off. Where you have another job anyway. --- Nurses who get attacked in hospital, Policeman who get shot at, Soldiers who get bombed, ambulance drivers that get abuse (see that program on Cardiff Ambulance service? OMG!)...better give them all the same rise on this basis. The fact that you 'risk your life' isnt an issue here, many public servants do- and for less money! --- Public sector pay WILL NEVER = Private sector pay. PM gets £100k a year- in the private sector his job would pay 6 figures easy. To compare yourselves to tube drivers on £31k, etc is irellevent. --- THE MAJORITY of the public arent behind you, and we are the ones that would have to pay. Blackmail is not the answer. Lancaster firebrigade are picketing outside the station with a sign saying 'honk if you support us'. Ihave driven past it about 30 times; in all those times, Ive heard ONE horn. --- Do they really think there is £650,000,000 lieing around that we can use to meet these demands? --- If there was, whats wrong with asking you to increase your skills? --- Finally, if you want £30k a year, go sell. As a public servant you need to want to do it as a vocation, and please dont claim you are on the poverty line because I just dont believe it.

Amen, brother...

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"I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again."