How so? I know a young lad who’s been trying to join for a while but has had setbacks due to one reason or another (but they don’t sound political, more his personal life dramas getting in the way). I understand the FBU to be a pretty robust union. What’s your take?
Discussion
The FBU is probably the strongest after the Trains but in all honesty, it isn't that strong. Supposedly, to join now, you need to pass a DBS check but I've seen this ignored. Where we used to have to be of a certain stature, this has all gone to accommodate, let's just say, smaller people. This is all very well but I have also seen these "smaller" people unable to lift 40kg very easily. What did the union/brigade do? They made it policy to not have any dummy casualty (in training) weigh more than 35 kg. How much do you weigh?
I wouldn't join the brigade now. It is a trap. I was almost sacked for refusing to wear a mask during the scamdemic. I was called into my borough commanders office, after he had received a complaint from a female firefighter, that o had called myself a fireman. At training school, if you can call it that now, they are given a snitch line to call. There have been incidents of suicide from new recruits over being asked to make tea! On the surface that goes down as bullying. I'm not saying that hasn't happened but what it does point to is why or how did someone like that get through. We have to deal with shit that isn't nice.
As for the lad you know, HIS face probably doesn't fit. Without knowing his past, I can't say but I bet he is fit enough, I bet he is strong enough and I bet he'd play the game and make the teas during his apprenticeship?
Thanks for the perspective, ironically the lad is quite short but I’m pretty sure that’s not the issue… I’d certainly trust him to give his best when carrying people, his current job is lugging dead peoples’ furniture for a charity shop, he’s a strong lad.
I’ve seen weaponised bullying used against my other half by the Labour Party first hand, a long story that I don’t want to go into here and ultimately the reason I have such dislike for the organisation (leaving aside the war crimes etc) so I know it exists.
Politics is a tough one, I’m on the left on so many issues but politicians, with very few exceptions, just look out for their own self interest. Bunch of cunts.
What about rebranding yourself to simply Fire?
I was raised by a socialist mother! I don't actually believe in left or right, that's a tool they use to divide us. People, when left alone, are basically decent and kind. It is the ruling class that fucks it up. As you say, cunts and I know a few. I think that most people get less tolerant as they get older. In the past this was placated by respect bit there is little of that left. Seemingly. Humans are naturally tribal and in difficult times that is easy to manipulate
Yeah in these times I’m way more inclined to think the left/right paradigm does nothing but set people against each other. My pet theory is the real issue we face is the 1-5% of the population are psychopaths but I’ve yet to come up with any practical solution. Best I’ve managed is to ignore it and make funny noises in a shed somewhere.