PRESCOTT: If I was an FBU member I’d reject it too

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday March 14, 2003 20:28 by Liverpool Irish Fireman - Mersyside Fire Brigade

PRESCOTT: If I was an FBU member I’d reject it too

John Prescott told a Hull firefighter he'd reject the latest offer to the union if he was still a union shop steward. The admission came during Wednesday's lobby of Parliament. During a meeting lasting an hour and 20 minutes Ian Murray, a Hull firefighter said he repeatedly asked Mr Prescott if he would recommend the deal if he was still a union shop steward. "I kept pushing him to answer and eventually he said: 'Of course I wouldn't have.' I said to him: 'So why do you expect us to recommend it?' "He said the biggest mistake was asking for such a 40% pay rise from the outset. He said no workers would get that without giving up anything in return." Mr Murray pointed out that one group of workers had: Cabinet Ministers, including John Prescott.

John Prescott told a Hull firefighter he'd reject the latest offer to the union if he was still a union shop steward. The admission came during Wednesday's lobby of Parliament. During a meeting lasting an hour and 20 minutes Ian Murray, a Hull firefighter said he repeatedly asked Mr Prescott if he would recommend the deal if he was still a union shop steward. "I kept pushing him to answer and eventually he said: 'Of course I wouldn't have.' I said to him: 'So why do you expect us to recommend it?'

"He said the biggest mistake was asking for such a 40% pay rise from the outset. He said no workers would get that without giving up anything in return."

Mr Murray pointed out that one group of workers had: Cabinet Ministers, including John Prescott.