Seek your MP's support
for a Trade Union Freedom Bill by asking them to sign Early
Day Motion (Number 1170). http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=30136&SESSION=875
Follow the Lobby
Your MP link on the FBU website
For more info click below:
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=29530&SESSION=875
www.ier.org.uk
Control Campaign
Fire minister Jim Fitzpatrick has announced that the Firelink
contract has been let to O2 Airwave Ltd.
The move, he says, followed “a detailed evaluation”
of the bids from EADS Defence and Security Systems Ltd and O2
Airwave Ltd and it contracts ODPM to rolling-out the Firelink
system in England only – roll-out in Scotland and Wales
is subject to decisions by Ministers in the Scottish Executive
and the National Assembly for Wales.
Mr Fitzpatrick claims that “Firelink brings fire and rescue
service wide area radio communications into the 21st century
with the levels of resilience and interoperability that these
challenging times require, whilst ensuring the British taxpayer
gets the best possible value for money.
“Firelink will provide the service with a secure, highly
resilient and flexible system supporting both voice and data
communications and enable improved interoperability between
fire and rescue services and other emergency services.”
It is in fact FireLink which will provide many of the benefits
claimed for the FireControl Project, including re-establishing
a degree of interoperability with the other 999 services also
this will be more limited than the ODPM implies. The England-only
£350 million contract is only for 10 years and only for
core services. The need for better fire ground communications
was one of the key issues identified after 9/11. These are excluded
from both the FireLink and FireControl Project.
Lobby your MP
The Union’s campaign against proposed regionalisation
of controls is moving into a critical stage. It is expected
that the Select Committee inquiry into a number of aspects of
Fire Service work including regional controls, will report sometime
in May, most likely following local elections.
Contact your MP to seek their support for the position outlined
in the Union’s document titled “Regional Control
: National Resilience”.
A suggested draft letter is available on www.controlcare.org.uk
The letter can also be sent by following the “Lobby
Your MP” link on www.fbu.org.uk
As many members as possible are urged to contact their MPs as
it has been shown, following our recent Pensions campaign, to
have a positive impact.
Stop schools going
up in flames
More than five schools go up in flames every day on average
in the UK. An early day motion (EDM), recently tabled by Celia
Barlow MP, a member of the FBU Parliamentary Support Group,
notes that “more than 2,000 schools are damaged by fire
each year at an estimated cost of £100 million to local
education authorities” and “calls upon the Government
to broaden its recommendations to make the installation of sprinklers
in all new build and major refurbishments of maintained schools
mandatory.”
Write to your MP asking them to sign early day motion EDM 1726
– Water sprinklers in Schools. Follow the Lobby
Your MP link from the home page of the FBU website
Want an extra paid holiday?
The FBU has joined other unions, including the TGWU,
in campaigning for International Women’s Day – celebrated
on 8 March - to be made a paid bank holiday for everyone.
Sign the FBU petition by visiting www.fbu.org.uk
or by clicking
on this link: and selecting “petitions”.
For a hard copy of the petition and more information on the
campaign contact FBU Head Office.
Celebrate Venezuela’s Bolivarian
Revolution with music!
Come and hear the African beat at the heart of Latin America
from the CORAZÓN AFRICANO - African Heart trio of top
Venezuelan musicians.
Orlando Poleo, recognized as the best conga player in the world,
is accompanied by the award-winning, Paris-based percussionist,
Diana Montoya, together with renowned pianist Clara Rodríguez.
Gig details:
