Firefighters cautiously welcome the decision by Tyne and Wear Fire Authority to postpone the worst of proposed cuts to Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS). After a successful...
The Westminster government will cut fire and rescue service funding in England by 15% over the next year, analysis from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has found, despite claiming that “...
The Fire Brigades Union will be looking in detail at the issues raised by Channel 4 Dispatches Grenfell: Did the Fire Brigade Fail? Commenting on the programme, Matt Wrack, FBU general...
For LGBT+ History Month, Fire Brigades Union LGBT Secretary Pat Carberry looks back on the fight for acceptance in the fire and rescue...
Unity is strength, and this key trade union principle was clearly recognised by the 11 new members from Portland fire station in...
Last November, the deadliest and most destructive wildfires on record hit California. Feature writer, Amy Rowland, speaks to Brian...
On 11 September 2015, the government set out plans to enable Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to take over the fire and rescue service.
Firefighters provide a humanitarian service, they are not agents of the state nor are they law enforcers. Firefighters play a neutral role in our communities.
No to PCC takeoverThe Westminster government cut its funding to the fire and rescue service by 30% during the course of the last parliament.
As a result nearly 7,000 frontline jobs were lost. That’s one in eight firefighter jobs gone. Stations, appliances and equipment were also cut.
Save our Fire and Rescue ServiceThe FBU keep Members of Parliament updated with the issues and challenges facing the UK’s firefighters through its Fire and Rescue Service Matters parliamentary bulletin.
Fire and Rescue Service MattersThe government is hastily pushing its flawed Trade Union Bill through parliament. The Bill is the biggest raft of attacks on workers’ rights since the 1980s.
This government was elected with just 37% of the vote and the support of just 24% of the electorate. Yet they want to impose thresholds on our ballot.
Defend workers’ rightsFirefighters and emergency control staff are at risk of losing their FBU membership if they do not make the switch to pay their union subs by direct debit. As a result of the government’s Trade Union Bill the method by which most members pay their subs, check-off, will be abolished.
Don’t let them silence you. Make the switch today.
Switch to Direct DebitEngland is now the only nation in the U.K. where firefighters are not given a statutory duty to respond to flooding incidents.
The FBU argues that a statutory duty for firefighters to attend floods would help fire and rescue services, other emergency services and the government as a whole to plan effectively and reduce risk to life and property. Such a duty has already been adopted in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Flooding dutyBefore 2010, firefighters already contributed one of the highest proportions of their salary towards their pensions (11%), and in April this year it increased for the third year running.
The government has increased contribution costs for firefighters for the third year running rising to more than £4,000 a year from a salary of around £29,000.
Hands off our pensionsFirefighters from across the UK are campaigning to protect their local fire and rescue services, many of which are on the receiving end of record funding cuts as a result of government imposed austerity.
You can find a selection of some of the campaigns being run by FBU branches from across the UK.
Local campaigns
