The FBU has commissioned an independent internal review into racism, calling on all members – retired and serving – to take part. Professor Nicola Rollock, Director of NIANRO Consulting, explains why
In recent years, a series of damning culture reviews have been published, detailing institutional racism in several fire and rescue services. Meanwhile, a series of high-profile cases involving firefighters being discriminated against, bullied, or harassed because of their race or ethnicity has brought these issues to wider public attention.
The voices of firefighters on the frontline matters in these discussions, which is why the Fire Brigades Union has brought in NIANRO Consulting to hear the perspectives of members within the union.
Members’ experiences
In September, the NIANRO team will launch a survey which will be open to all FBU members – of all ethnic groups, serving and retired – to examine the potential existence of racism across the governance and structures of the union.
We are interested in exploring who is most affected and how incidents of racism are dealt with if they are reported. With your help, we can identify ways in which the union can continue to grow and work collectively.
Understanding the issues
My background is as an academic. As Professor of Social Policy and Race at King’s College London, I have researched issues of social justice across education, the workplace and the criminal justice system for a number of years.
I carry out empirical research and provide strategic oversight to organisations seeking to become anti-racist. I was Specialist Advisor to the Home Affairs Select Committee’s inquiry “Macpherson: 22 Years On” examining progress since the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, and sit on the London Policing Board which helps the Mayor for London hold the Metropolitan Police to account.
Getting to work
We always begin our work by building an understanding of how people within an organisation operate, so the team at NIANRO Consulting have been busy listening over the past few months. We attended FBU conference in May, where we introduced the review at a fringe meeting and heard from delegates from across the UK.
We’ve had a series of informal discussions with members, including those involved with the Black and ethnic minority section. And we’ve been reading publications such as Fighting Fire: One Hundred Years of the Fire Brigades Union, to understand the history and structures of the union.
We will use the information shared with us to inform the design and content of the review.
Survey and interviews
NIANRO will carry out a union-wide survey of members and FBU staff and conduct a series of one-to-one interviews with a pool of respondents as part of the process.
All information shared with us, whether through informal conversations, the survey or interviews, will be held in confidence. Your name or any other identifying information will not be shared with anyone else, within or outside of the FBU.
How do I take part?
The survey will launch in September, and will be sent to all FBU members’ email addresses.
Is this just for Black and ethnic minority (B&EMM) members?
We encourage all serving and retired FBU members to take part and share their views. We want to hear from you, including if you feel that racism is not an issue for the union.
What questions will the review ask?
The survey will ask about whether you have experienced or witnessed racism in the union, your views on the processes for reporting such incidents, and thoughts about the improvements needed to ensure that the FBU addresses racism in a timely and effective manner.
What won’t be included in the review?
We will not seek to influence the direction or outcome of any recent or ongoing cases relating to the focus of the review as this sits beyond the terms of the brief.
More questions?
If you have any further questions, please get in touch with Motunrayo, our NIANRO research lead, at [email protected]. Correspondence will be treated in confidence and will only be used to help inform the review’s findings.
