USE YOUR VOTE – IT’S YOUR UNION

General Secretary election will have major impact on your future and that of the UK fire and rescue service

FBU members who haven’t yet voted in the General Secretary election are urged not to miss this opportunity to have a say on the future of the Union for the next five years.

This election is for the most senior position in the FBU and will have a major impact on how the Union takes forward our pensions campaign and other workplace campaigns on your behalf.

It will also be a significant determinant on the future of the UK fire and rescue service.

If you haven’t received your ballot papers for the election of FBU General Secretary contact urgently the membership department at FBU Head Office: 0208 541 1765.

Members are reminded that the ballot closes May 6.

Use Your Vote!

Notts members take controls battle to No.10

FBU members from Notts Fire and Rescue Service are to take an 8,000-strong petition to No 10 Downing Street protesting against the regionalisation of emergency fire control rooms.

Last Friday, they took a copy of the petition, with more than 8,000 signatures, to Councillor Graham Jackson, chairman of Notts Fire Authority.

They are now to travel to London to hand in the petition.

Public backs emergency fire controls campaign

THE people of Banbury, Oxfordshire, showed their support for firefighters protesting against plans to abolish the county's fire control centre.

FBU members from the town's fire station collected 500 signatures from shoppers at Castle Quay on Friday.
Banbury fire station manager and FBU member Bob Burrell said they had been overwhelmed by the support from members of the public.

Emily Austin of Brunswick Place, Banbury, who was among the shoppers that signed the petition, said: "I think it’s one of those things, 'don't fix it if it's not broken'. The advantage of the centre being local is they are going to know the area you are talking about. I suppose it being farther away one also has to ask the question about speed of response.

"It just seems like a recipe for disaster. It's something that's so important and essential; you cannot afford to make any mistakes."

Kim Haddrell of Sibford Road, Shutford, said: "It just strikes me they are closing down local centres to save money."

Sources include Banbury Guardian

For more news, information and campaign materials on our Campaign Against the Regionalisation of Emergency Fire Controls visit: www.controlcare.org.uk.

E-learning pilot kicks off with 12 retained members

Twelve members working the retained duty system have volunteered for an e-learning pilot which is being offered by the Union in partnership with the Scottish Fire Services College. The pilot, which aims to assess the accessibility, support and learning requirements of retained firefighters by e-learning, is set to start 23 May and will be completed by 25 July.

The SFSC will provide online support for participants doing the Command and Control module through the college’s e-mentor application. An evaluation will take place on completion.
The SFSC has been at the forefront of developing a virtual college that will provide online courses that meet the requirements of learners as they progress through the fire and rescue service role maps.

E-learning may prove to be a key initiative in supporting the retained service in the Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS), workplace development schemes and S/NVQs.

For more information contact Trevor Shanahan or 0141 221 2309.

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Last Modified: 7/04/08 10:50,