Frozen Britain

Snow has already in London. If yesterday all TV channels and radio stations broadcasted terrible snow-covered pictures from the North of the country today there has been no any necessity to switch on the media. 

You wake up in the morning, look through the window and just cannot recognize the country in what you are. What is it? Russia? Siberia? Or the North Pole?

Even for the person who is used to living in the strong winter conditions, as I am, it is really unusual to see snowfall on the British islands at the end of November.  The question is appeared immediately: “Sorry, there is your praised Gulf Stream?”

However, we should not blame the weather. Because this is the most favourite work of the authorities. There is no any difference in that issue in every country. Winter always comes unexpectedly for them. 

What’s happened with Britain? 

Although, the UK has been suffering from early snowfall for the last three years it has become the real collapse for the country every time. 

People are got stuck in the trains for 24 hours because of rimed conductors. Airports are closed because of snow-covered landing strips. Thousands of schools are closed because of the broken heating systems.  

Atypical cold and snow covered almost the entire country, the press writes. Stock of sand and salt sprinkled on the roads has remained only for a couple of weeks. There is also the lack of special equipment for the road cleaning. 

There is something for the top news and front pages. 

Despite of all troubles such weather is the exciting theme for the media. Snowfalls and frost are the main topics of the all national news. Every hour we can follow the changing of surviving conditions of the most suffered place in the UK.

 In such circumstances drivers call to refuse travel as possible. On some roads, where traffic jams have formed, desperate drivers are simply throwing their cars and continue their trip on foot.

It is sounds like The End of the World, isn’t it? 

However, the reasonable question is followed. If snowfalls are more frequent in recent years why people meet winter as a complete surprise?

The biggest strike of fireworkers in London

Firefighters today walked out on their frontline duties in a row over pay and conditions. More than 5 500 were on London's streets to fight for their rights.

This is the biggest strike ever held by London firefighters. They're campaigning against a forced change to their working hours. They say they're being forced to accept new working conditions or they'll be sacked.

 

They've left the UK capital without their services for 8 hours.

A firefighter Luisa said: “Initially we talked about the shift changes. this is the main change bad. But the problem that we have is that if we allow them to force these changes that we don't agree, we don't know what other changes they will force we agree in the future”.

What’s the matter?

Employers sent letters to more than 5000 London firefighters in August. They warned them about the increase in daily duty hours from 9 to 12 while reducing the night shift from 15 to 12 hours. Fire-fighters worry that these changes will lead to a decline in their salaries, disrupt their families and cuts in fire cover as well. 

This is the first time n London when 5 600 fire-workers don't work at all. About 100 fire stations are closed. Today they don't fight against fire but they fight for their rights. 

If firefighters don't sign up to the new contracts they will be simply dismissed. But the London fire Brigade claims that they are ready to negotiate.

Brian Coleman, London Fire and Emergency Authority Chairman, stated:

“Our message is simple - call off the strike now and we will resolve this dispute”.  

What do they want?

The fire union, for its part, is also open to discuss the issues but under one condition.

Matt Wrack, FBU General Secretary, says:

“Brian Coleman has said he is quite relaxed about sacking 5 600 firefighters. I think this an appalling statement for the leader of fire authority to make. We want to resolve this dispute but t could be resolve obviously don't sack 5600 firefighters and we will not be strike”.