Firefighters’ experience of strike: An interpretative phenomenological analysis case study

The processes involved in, and arising from, strike action have received little attention from academic psychologists. In 2004, the UK Fire and Rescue Service was affected by a national strike, for only the second time in It's history. Data from a case study of a single firefighter involved in this strike were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA; Smith, 1996). Data was collected after the end of the strike, allowing both a retrospective reflection and a consideration of current impact. Three superordinate themes emerged: self identity, betrayal, and continuing effects. Themes were interwoven with a transitional sense of self affected by a growing sense of betrayal, with this continuing into the present. Findings suggest that strikes present an unfamiliar and unusual circumstance which facilitates a complex set of social interactions and relationships, both positive and negative. The environment ofthe strike enables a unique opportunity for personal reflection, which may have profound impact on constructions of the self. A plea is made for other psychologists to research strikes from the perspectives of those involved, rather than solely from an organisational perspective aimed at conflict resolution.