Catalogue Number
NMLH.2026.14.2
Object Name
poster
Title
PAY THE FIREMEN
People
Socialist Worker
Date
1977
Description
Poster with large text in black at the top 'PAY THE FIREMEN'. A black and white picture beneath shows a man in a white helmet which has a chin strap holding a small child. At the bottom of the poster is the logo for the Socialist Workers Party.
Likely produced in 1977 for the first nationwide industrial action by firefighters in the UK. The strike lasted from November 1977 to January 1978, prompted by years of falling real wages, creating a low pay industry. During the strike, the armed forces were drafted in to fight fires, although some striking firefighters did occasionally tackle fires to help save lives.
