A burning issue

Our local firemen are embarking on a series of strikes. About the one thing my wife and I will argue about is the right to strike - she very much in favour, me basically opposed. I don't know enough about the current dispute to have formed a definite view (in fact, as it appears that their conditions of service are being fundamentally and unilaterally changed, I have some sympathy with them), but what I do find distasteful - and my wife is inclined to agree with me on this - is the putting of human life at risk in pursuit of an industrial grievance. The union trot out the standard line of "the employer has left us with no choice", which is as fatuous an argument as it ever was. If, God forbid, anyone loses their life as a result of this action (why do we call it 'industrial action' when it's quite the reverse?), will anybody be willing to accept responsibility? I don't think so!