National Joint Council

This section of the Employers’ Organisation provides advice to the 58 local authority fire brigades (in the United Kingdom), on NJC agreements. The NJC is the national body responsible for negotiating the pay and conditions of service of firefighters.

Agreements reached in the NJC are contained in a scheme of conditions of service known as the Grey Book. The scheme has no statutory standing except insofar as it is incorporated in the contracts of employment of members of the fire service. A fire authority is not required to employ personnel on NJC conditions but at the current time all fire authorities in the United Kingdom do so.

Membership of the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades

The NJC has 57 members who make up the Employers’ Side and the Employees’ Side:

Employers’ representatives
National Organisation of Employers of 30
Local Authorities' Fire Brigades

Employees' representatives
Fire Brigades Union 27

Agreements on conditions of service issues are incorporated into the Grey Book and communicated to fire authorities by Joint Circulars.