Essex fire crews have put back the start of their strike ballot by seven days because of a legal technicality. The Fire Brigades Union has now formally re-served notice of the strike ballot in a dispute over frontline cuts and changes forced through without proper negotiation or agreement.
Only the start of the ballot has changed, the closing date remains in place. Continue reading
Mid and West Wales fire crews have warned managers that lives are at serious risk over plans to replace 14 fire engines with commercial vans carrying a reduced firefighting capability. The vans – adapted Mercedes Sprinters called Rural Response Pumps – don’t have enough water in their tank to put out a fire in a single room in a house. Continue reading
West Midlands Fire Brigades Union says they are ‘dismayed’ at a decision to start charging members of the public for a range of services the fire authority now says are ‘non-emergencies’. The union says the public already pay for a service and don’t expect to be surcharged on top. Continue reading
The Fire Brigades Union says there is a risk of a cover up of alleged serious financial mismanagement and other practices at Essex fire service after the District Auditor says she will not investigate any allegations prior to 2010. The auditor and the fire authority are refusing to disclose a previous report into financial concerns that continues to be kept secret despite numerous Freedom of Information Act requests. Continue reading
South Yorkshire fire crews have accused their managers of multiple breaches of health and safety legislation over the imposed introduction of small vans to replace properly equipped and crewed fire engines. The Fire Brigades Union has served a Safety Critical Notice warning them of their liability if a member of the public or a firefighter is injured or killed. Continue reading
Essex fire crews are warning that one in five frontline crews will have been cut since 2008 if further cuts being demanded by managers go ahead. A report by Chief Fire Officer David Johnson and Finance Director Mike Clayton presented to Councillors on Wednesday 9th May (paper EFA/ 051/12) confirms 100 full-time fire station based crews have been axed since 2008 with retained ‘on call’ crews cut by 60. Continue reading
Essex fire crews have given formal legal notice of a strike ballot in a dispute over frontline cuts and changes forced through without proper negotiation or agreement. The legal timetable governing ballots would typically mean no strike action can take place until 7 days after the ballot closes on 13 June. Continue reading
Firefighters are thanking Barnet and Camden voters for electing Andrew Dismore to replace the disastrous Brian Coleman. Coleman was Boris Johnson’s appointee as chair of the London Fire Authority, a position which also propelled him into a key role in the fire service nationally.
Coleman championed fire service privatisation in London and across the fire service. Continue reading
Essex Fire Brigades Union says no final decision has been taken to commence a ballot for industrial action in the Essex fire service. It has condemned the chief fire officer’s statement to the contrary as inaccurate and a bungling attempt to scupper possible talks and provoke a strike. Continue reading
A dozen firefighters from across Wiltshire are travelling to Westminster on Tuesday 17 April to warn local MPs plans to slash £1.8 million from the Fire Authority budget would render the county’s fire service “not fit for purpose” and could cost lives.
The controversial cuts package, put forward by the County’s Chief Fire Officer, is now out to consultation. It includes plans to cut frontline firefighting, spreading appliances more thinly around the county and reducing specialist emergency medical equipment. Continue reading
