Fire Brigades Union | The Voice Of Firefighters

Latest News

North yorkshire fire crews operating TRVs will increase

22 Sep

Fire service to increase crew sizes after union outcry

Fire crew sizes for a fleet of controversial small fire vehicles in North Yorkshire will increase as a result of pressure from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The Chair of North...

The firefighter statue outside Avon fire and rescue is at risk of being moved

22 Sep

Avon firefighters burning with fury at plans to move memorial to fallen colleagues

Firefighters in Avon are raging at plans to dig up a memorial to fallen firefighters in Bristol City Centre and move it to a remote location near Portishead. The memorial statue of a...

13 Sep

Pay offer fails to address pain of falling wages, says firefighters' union

Following a democratic consultation with members, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has today rejected the recent pay offer put forward by the national employers of the fire and rescue...

Latest Blog Posts

Shane Ewen Grenfell lessons

Sep 15, 2017

Action to safeguard the public and firefighters from avoidable death and injury tends to follow disasters like Grenfell Tower. Lessons...

Andy Dark FAQs: Pay consultation

Sep 8, 2017

Andy Dark answers frequently asked questions about the pay consultation. Q: If the offer is accepted what does it commit...

Helen Hague Burning skies

Sep 5, 2017

Helen Hague recalls ‘heroes with grimy faces’ who were also artists St Paul’s Cathedral stands proud and defiant against a red...

FBU in the News

5Live Investigates: Firefighters and mental illness

18 September 2017 BBC 5Live

Revealed: Thousands of multi-storey buildings lack fire sprinklers

18 September 2017 i news

Hundreds of traumatised staff from London Fire Brigade receive counselling in wake of Grenfell Tower disaster

17 September 2017 Daily Mail

More FBU in the news

Latest Circulars

Employers' revised pay proposal

Sep 19, 2017 Ref: 2017HOC0509MW

Election of regional chair north west region (Region 5)

Sep 18, 2017 Ref: 2017HOC0502MW

More circulars

FBU Campaigns

No to PCC takeover

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 takeover

Save our Fire and Rescue Service

The 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 Service

Fire and Rescue Service Matters

The 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 Matters

Defend workers’ rights

The 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’ rights

Firefighters 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 Debit

Flooding duty

England 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 duty

Hands off our pensions

Before 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 pensions

Local campaigns

Firefighters 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

The Fire Brigades Union is the democratic, professional voice of firefighters and other workers within fire and rescue services across the UK.

Latest News

Fire service to increase crew sizes after union outcry

Avon firefighters burning with fury at plans to move memorial to fallen colleagues

Pay offer fails to address pain of falling wages, says firefighters' union