Two days before this magazine went to print, after a wait of more than one year, the Westminster government finally published its plans for the fire and rescue service in England.
Because of the FBU’s campaigning work, the government has retreated on many of its most damaging proposals, but dangers remain.
THE FIGHT FOR OUR FUTURE
Since 2010, one in five firefighter jobs has been cut and response times are worse than ever. These proposals will not put a penny back into our service. As we report on page 4, they come alongside an authoritarian attempt to ban firefighters from taking strike action.
Cuts are still being made. In Scotland, the FBU is consulting on strike action over brutal cuts imposed by the Scottish government. In Avon, 40 jobs are under threat. Just before going to print, we learned that Hereford and Worcester planned to axe 45 jobs and eight appliances.
Between now and March, budgets for local government and fire authorities will be set, and fire authorities will meet to decide what to do with them. Our message to all politicians is clear: neither we nor the public will sit back and accept further cuts.
The Firefighters’ Manifesto is a vision for a modern, resilient fire and rescue service with the resources it needs. We have a strategy to get there: to fend off the last attacks of this dying Tory government, to win what funding we can in the next few months, and to make sure that the next government has a very different plan for our service.
Now is the time to make your voice heard, to your MP, your local councillors and your prospective candidates.
CONTROL STRIKE
The FBU has called eight consecutive days of strike action in the Merseyside control room from 27 December over a duty system which was introduced without negotiation, as well as cuts to night-time cover. Control staff voted 100% for strike on a 92% turnout in August.
Since then, we negotiated with Merseyside employers via the NJC, but they failed to come forward with a credible offer. The whole national union will lend its weight and support to the strike. We urge the employers to put a decent offer on the table.
FAILED BY THE HSE
Since 2020, the National Fire Chiefs Council has been advocating a dangerous new policy of sending firefighters above the bridgehead in high rise fires without activated breathing apparatus (BA). The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) failed to investigate it for more than a year, and has now produced a flawed and contradictory report which sides with the employers.
The HSE’s action, and lack of action, has been nothing short of disgraceful. We have no confidence in the investigation, which has undermined the HSE’s status as an independent regulator. The FBU cannot accept a policy which trades the safety of firefighters for the needs of profiteering developers.
Our advice remains unchanged: as a professional firefighter and BA wearer you should not put yourself in a position of danger above the bridgehead with non-activated breathing apparatus.
