Firemen disciplined after no show at gay pride

By Dave McElhill • August 31, 2006 - 0:00

Firefighters at Euro Pride in London

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Nine firemen from Glasgow have been ordered to undergo an intensive course in "diversity training" as a punishment for refusing to carry out their jobs at the gay Pride Scotia in June.

The decision from fire chiefs at Strathclyde Fire and Rescue (SFR) came after days of deliberation over what their response to the case should be.

In the end all nine are to receive "diversity training."

One officer has been demoted from watch manager to crew manager, with a £5,000 pay cut.

The officers' have now admitted that they should have performed their duties at the festival, and have received written warnings for their actions.

According to the Associated Press the officers bosses judged that their refusal to hand out the leaflets represented a "fundamental breach of their core responsibilities."

Stonewall welcomed the decision by SFR, saying "it is not political correctness to ask public servants to do their job. Lesbian and gay people pay taxes too." "

"Had these firefighters refused to go to a mosque or church there'd have been justified outrage," they added

The SFR have said that "firefighters are well aware that fire prevention education and spreading the fire safety message is not a minor part of their job - it ranks alongside fire-fighting as a core, statutory duty."

"Firefighters cannot, and will not, pick and choose to whom they offer fire safety advice," they added.

SFR say that they view the punishment as appropriate, and the matter closed.

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