Dear Brother/Sister
CHANGES TO RETIRED AND OUT OF TRADE MEMBERSHIP ENROLMENT
In May 2016, FBU conference agreed to change our rules with respect to Retired and Out of Trade (ROOT) membership. The most notable change was to increase the contribution rates from £25 for a period of five years, to a rate of £24 per year. I can now confirm this change will take effect from 1 January 2017.
Our service is facing some of the most challenging times in its history, and our union needs to be as best placed as possible to be able to face these challenges. The solidarity that many ROOT members have given our campaigns in the past few years has not gone unnoticed. We are stronger when we all stand together. We face a government that is committed to austerity, decimating public services and fragmenting our service. In addition they have slashed workers’ rights in an attempt to silence our collective voice in the workplace.
The FBU has made it clear, we will not sit back and accept this. The union is committed to campaigning on behalf of every member, doing whatever is necessary to win the best possible outcome. Whether the campaign be on public/firefighter safety, pay, job cuts or more specific legal cases, such as the fairer commutation campaign, we will always campaign to the very end. As such, we must ensure that our structures are organised in the most efficient way for us to do this.
Head Office has negotiated a new package of benefits for ROOT members, including; financial advice, insurance, legal services and access to the FBU’s lifelong learning project. All of this is available to ROOT members for just £2 per month. By accessing these benefits ROOT members could actually save more money through their membership than the cost of the subscription itself.
Currently ROOT members are asked to pay by cheque or postal order for a five year period. This is an outdated process and so, from 1 January 2017, any member wishing to become a ROOT member or renew their ROOT membership must complete a new ROOT application form, and set up a Direct Debit or consent for their current Direct Debit to be adjusted accordingly. This form will be available from the FBU website in the coming weeks.
Please bring this to the attention of all members who are nearing the end of their careers in the fire and rescue service, or to those you know that are retired and out of trade.
Yours fraternally
DAVE GREEN
National Officer
