FIRE SERVICE PAY 2009

Our Annual Conference last week debated the vital issue of pay. This debate took place in the midst of the worst financial and economic crisis in living memory and that has an inevitable impact on our talks with employers who have so far failed to resolve this issue for 2009.

In relation to discussions on pay FBU members are asked to consider the following background:

• The 2003 Pay and Conditions Agreement produced a formula based on the movement of pay of Associate Professional and Technical (APT) employees within the annual pay survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics. This APT formula was to operate for two years.  This covered pay for 2005 and 2006.

• Subsequently the Union sought pay rises in line with the APT formula. This was successfully achieved for 2007 and 2008.

• Concerned at the level of these rises, our Conference instructed us to investigate the performance of the APT formula. Research was carried out by the Labour Research Department and a report was presented to the Executive Council and reported to Regional/Sectional and Brigade Committees.

• In relation to pay for 2009 and 2010 the National Joint Council agreed to establish a Joint Working Party which began to meet in the autumn of 2008.  Despite a number of discussions at this forum there has been no agreement on the issue of pay.

In the light of this background Conference agreed that discussions with our employers should continue in an attempt to obtain a pay offer which maintains living standards and attempts to make up any ground lost as a result of previous below inflation rises.

Conference sent a clear message to our employers that the FBU would oppose:

• Any attempt to link detrimental changes to conditions of service to pay.

• Any attempt to threaten FBU members by offering a time limited offer such as was recently made to workers in other areas of Local Government.

Conference also agreed that any offer on pay should be subject to consultation with members through our normal structures.

I can now report that these views and concerns have been clearly reported to our employers and we await a response. The National Joint Council meets on 3 June and the issue of pay will be the central discussion. A further report will be issued as soon as is possible.

The Emergency Resolution agreed by Conference is attached for your information.

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally

MATT WRACK
GENERAL SECRETARY

Copy of Emergency Resolution 8