LONDON FIRE AND EMERGENCY PLANNING AUTHORITY DISPUTE

That this House notes the dispute between the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority and the Fire Brigades Union; is disappointed and alarmed by the Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade's threat to dismiss 5,557 employees under section 188 of the Trade Unions and Labour Relations Act 1992; regards this intervention as unacceptable, as well as hostile and unhelpful to ongoing negotiations; urges both parties to make every effort to reach a negotiated settlement; and calls on the Commissioner to withdraw this unnecessary threat immediately so negotiations can continue in a more positive and less confrontational atmosphere.