Dear Brother / Sister
The Executive Council met yesterday and discussed information and clarifications received from the national employers’ side.
The Executive Council felt that the information was such that there was a real potential for the Union to adopt a revised position on the pay offer and the suspension of the trials, which would be consistent with the outcomes of the recent round of membership consultation.
We are very mindful that an agreement on broadening the work performed by firefighters will not be settled on the basis of 2%, or the 5% for 2017, but must be in the wider context of a known pay arrangement for future years. We have notified the employer’s side previously that we welcome their acknowledgement of this fact.
The Executive Council resolved that the national union will write to the employers’ side in order to be able to assess whether our understanding of the information was correct and in order to ascertain whether the potential for an agreement can be realised.
The Executive Council was firm in its commitment to find a mutually agreeable solution with the employers. The Executive Council is clear on the objectives demanded by the membership, which are premised on securing an acceptable increase for firefighters in respect of a pay settlement for 2017, but also, importantly, for future years.
Head Office will be writing to the employers’ side shortly and if a satisfactory response is secured will then take the necessary steps. However, for the avoidance of doubt:
Until and unless we have received a satisfactory response from the employers’ side, the position remains unchanged i.e. the suspension of the EMR trials and the wider work will commence on 24 August 2017.
The Executive Council will ensure that members are kept fully informed of all developments and is committed to consulting members at all the key stages.
Best wishes.
Yours fraternally
Andy Dark
Assistant General Secretary
