The period since the publication of the last Firefighter has been eventful.
BARRY MARTIN
The most sobering development is the death of Bro. Barry Martin who died on Friday 27 January following injuries he sustained on 23 January while attending a large fire in the Jenners building in Edinburgh.
Firefighters and control staff across the UK observed a minute’s silence on 13 February, and along with a number of FBU officials, I attended his funeral at St Giles Cathedral. It was a very powerful and moving day of tribute and commemoration, including from the hundreds of firefighters who lined the streets in a guard of honour.
Barry was a dedicated firefighter, and a well-liked member of the community. We are proud that he was a member of our union. His death is, above all, a tragedy for his family and for all those who knew him well. It is also a sobering reminder of the dangers of the job our members do. The FBU continues to support Barry’s family. An investigation into the incident is under way.
PAY
The results of our strike ballot on pay, which landed on Monday 30 January, were a testament to the level of anger and determination in the service.
In England, Scotland and Wales, 88% of members voted for strike action on a 73% turnout; in Northern Ireland, 94% voted for action. This resounding mandate for action moved our employers yet again.
On 8 February, the National Joint Council (NJC) met and negotiations went on long into the evening. The revised offer, 7% backdated to July 2022 and 5% from July 2023, is clearly a step forward, but does not solve our long-term problems with pay. It is still a real terms pay cut for the first year.
Nevertheless, our executive council has recommended that members vote to accept. It was honest and sober in its discussions, but it was also unanimous.
The advances we have made in this campaign are a victory for unity and democracy. Our members led this campaign at every stage, and we refused to allow ourselves to be divided by region or rank. Skilled negotiators can only get you so far; it’s the people outside the room that make the difference.
Whatever the outcome of the consultation on the offer, our campaign will continue. As we report in this issue of Firefighter, the fight for decent pay is going on across the economy – and I would strongly encourage you to show your solidarity with other workers taking action.
EARTHQUAKE
Since 6 February, the residents of south east Turkey and north west Syria have been living through hell.
At the time of writing, at least 46,000 people have been declared dead – and that number is likely to rise significantly. Dozens of UK firefighters have gone to the affected area with UKISAR, many of them FBU members. Their efforts have been heroic and have saved lives.
RIGHT TO STRIKE
The government “Minimum Services Bill” is an attack on our democracy, and on our right to organise and fight back.
The FBU is fighting it, and we will need to assess how to combat this legislation if it becomes law. We have received support from trade unions in Lithuania, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Slovenia, Poland and Luxembourg amongst others, which are published on our website.
Please support this vital campaign to defend workers’ rights.
