The Fire Brigades Union today commented on the Knight Review of the fire service. FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: “The review of the fire and rescue service by Ken Knight is just a fig leaf for slashing our fire and rescue service to bits. David Cameron has promised to protect front line services. That has been exposed as a lie over the past three years as the fire service has faced the biggest cuts in its history. Continue reading
Firefighters took a further step towards industrial action over proposed changes to their pensions, which would see them paying higher contributions and working longer.
The proposed changes are unworkable and not fit for purpose, the Fire Brigades Union conference decided today in a unanimous vote.
General secretary Matt Wrack said: “We still hope to avoid industrial action but we are determined to defend our pension rights. Genuine talks are still a real option and the ball is now firmly in government’s court to sort out the mess they have got themselves into.”
Mr Wrack will take a seven point plan to ministers. Continue reading
The Fire Brigades Union has criticised the government for its failure to appoint the union-nominated candidate to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) board, the watchdog for workers’ safety and health in Britain.
The board has throughout its 40-year existence always had three trade union representatives. Earlier this year there was a vacancy for one of those seats. The TUC supported Matt Wrack, general secretary of the FBU. Instead, the government appointed someone else without any meaningful consultation with the TUC or any union bodies. Continue reading
The Fire Brigades Union holds its conference in Blackpool from Wednesday 15 May to Friday 17 May. The conference comes at a crucial time for the fire and rescue service. Delegates from all 51 brigades across the UK will discuss the future of the fire service in the context of government cuts and austerity, the dispute over firefighters’ pensions, firefighters’ safety as well as a host of domestic and international matters. Journalists are welcome to attend the conference. Continue reading
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has called on the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to abandon his plans for deep cuts in the London Fire Brigade following the publication of data revealing how some Londoners will be expected to wait for up to four minutes longer for a fire engine in an emergency. The mayor wants to close 12 fire stations, remove 18 engines and slash 520 frontline firefighter posts.
The release of the data came after the brigade received several requests for information about the impact of the cuts on response times across every council ward in London. Continue reading
The FBU’s pension campaign is reaching a critical stage. The union is asking members to:
The Fire Brigades Union has criticised English ministers for failing to implement pension rights for retained firefighters, which were won following a court ruling five years ago.
The FBU says that governments are pressing ahead with attacks on firefighters’ existing rights, but have endlessly delayed introducing improvements required by law. Continue reading
The Fire Brigades Union has criticised Northern Ireland ministers for failing to implement pension rights for retained firefighters, which were won following a court ruling five years ago.
The FBU says that governments are pressing ahead with attacks on firefighters’ existing rights, but have endlessly delayed introducing improvements required by law. Continue reading
The Fire Brigades Union has criticised Scottish ministers for failing to implement pension rights for retained firefighters, which were won following a court ruling five years ago.
The FBU says that governments are pressing ahead with attacks on firefighters’ existing rights, but have endlessly delayed introducing improvements required by law. Continue reading
The Fire Brigades Union has criticised Welsh government ministers for failing to implement pension rights for retained firefighters, which were won following a court ruling five years ago.
The FBU says that governments are pressing ahead with attacks on firefighters’ existing rights, but have endlessly delayed introducing improvements required by law. Continue reading
