Strikers playing with fire

Over 5,500 fire-fighters began their 47-hour strike yesterday, and are not working on what is usually their busiest weekend of the year.

The Fire Brigade Union (FBU) said they had no choice, and simply didn't want to accept the longer dayshifts panned and the fact that staff not signing the new contracts might be fired.

In case of emergencies back-up support has been available.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) was granted a High Court injunction which enabled contract workers employed by private firm AssetCo, to enter and leave stations without being stopped by picketers.

So far so good

As I'm writing this, safe at home, I'm surrounded by the crackling noise of fireworks, and it sounds like London has turned into a war zone with 100s of machine guns. But, so far no serious incidents have been reported.
   
Around 40,000 people attended last night's events, and apart from a 21-year-old man who was injured when was hit in the chest by a stray rocket, most incidents have been of the nature of drunken fights and assaults, and not related to fires.

There are a few hours to go, but it seems like the strike has passed fairly pain free. Something I hope even the strikers are happy about.

The government has called this irresponsible and cynical.

Listen to my report from Wednesday to hear what FBU’s Matt Wrack says about the criticism surrounded the strike, and how event planners prepared for this weekend.