After reading another unfair, inaccurate and unbalanced article on the firefighters' industrial action (Oxford Mail, November 30), we must educate you on the following points.

You say the firefighters are losing public support. We presume you gauged the support from behind your desk.

May we suggest you attend one of the campaign lines in the county and see for yourself that, with the exception of a few hecklers, the majority of the public support us?

You say that firefighters work such short hours that many have part-time jobs. We work a 48-hour week. We don't believe that is short.

These hours include days, nights, weekends and Bank Holidays, with no extra shift allowance. None of these is optional.

It is true that some firefighters have part-time jobs. This is more out of necessity than choice.

A firefighter's salary on its own is not sufficient to secure a mortgage for a property in this area.

If firefighters choose to do extra work to provide a better standard of living for themselves and their families, whose business is that apart from theirs?

We don't think that you have ever commented about someone working 9am-5pm Monday to Friday and doing a part-time evening or weekend job.

Thousands of people have part-time jobs to try to make ends meet, just like firefighters.

The industrial action was initially over pay. But now that the Government has let the cat out of the bag, we are fighting for our jobs and the fire service.

If 10,000 jobs are lost, this will inevitably lead to fewer fire engines, the closure of fire stations, delayed attendance times and an increase in fire deaths.

WHITE WATCH

Slade Fire Station

Horspath Driftway

Cowley

Oxford