It'll be wise to rethink!

Three groups get my unquestionable support; highest respect and admiration in all circumstances regardless of what else is going on, they are our Armed forces, the Police, and Firefighters. The jobs they do, the selfless sacrifice they give and their honorable bravery deserve our utmost respect and admiration, and I am positive am not alone in feeling this way!

That is why I am, now, a little puzzled!

As London Firefighters went on strikes this morning, the public mood and support, me included, is a not what it was in the previous walk outs. Particular regarding their coming strike, on Bonfire Night, which for the first time is making all those who blindly support them question its reasons and legitimacy.

It is very clear, that the two sides are unreasonably deadlocked and neither looks likely to yield. This in itself is a shame. Some attribute it to a shambolic and disastrous public relations exercise while others just feel it is an immoral use of power, specially the next walkout this Friday. Either way, the strike thus far, has diminished public support and sympathy for the fighters, and if Friday’s walk out was intended to put pressure it might have, but it at what cost?

Firefighters having second jobs is not and should not be an issue, provided those jobs are secondary and don’t conflict with the fighters’ safety or ability to carry out their main job. The same applies to where they choice to live. However, in a witch hunt and negative propaganda exercise it seems we lost all prospective, common sense and reason, but why?

In my opinion, by both parties acting unreasonable they allowed themselves to become media fodder, therefore entering into dangerous ground – where being unreasonable is being confused by standing your ground.

I and many like me want to continue seeing our Firefighters in the light we’re used to and hold them in the esteem they deserve, but it will be impossible if as a result of industrial action on Bonfire Night an incident results in a serious injury or a fatality!