'Over a third of women who work full-time for local authorities earn less than £13,000 per year. Firemen are doing a good job in drawing our attention to the poor rewards they get in comparison to other pillars of society. However, when care workers and nursery nurses raise the issue of low pay, they are much less likely to hold our attention. Even if they do take to the streets, who would see it as a drama?' Natasha Walter, The Independent