Catherwood LibraryILR School

Hopes that Britain's national Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) could coax a settlement out of talks between the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and local governments have been dampened at least for the time being (see WIT for Dec. 3, 2002). The continued insistence of Prime Minister Tony Blair's national government that no money will be forthcoming for raises not paid for by union concessions on work rules (see WIT's for Nov. 21 and 13, 2002), prompted FBU General Secretary Andy Gilchrist last night to announce that although the union will participate, there is "little point" to the ACAS talks. Having cancelled eight-day strikes scheduled for December after government employers agreed to the ACAS talks, the FBU has planned two two-day strikes for January 28 and 29, and February 1 and 2, if progress has not been made towards an agreement that firefighters can support their families on.