Steve Wright, the union’s newly elected general secretary, sat down with Francis Beckett to discuss his fire service background, politics, and what’s next
Last year Steve Wright’s son became a third generation operational firefighter.
“For all my early life we lived in the shadow of a fire station, in a fire brigade house” says Steve. “My father joined the fire service in the 1970s. And my son has always been around it too. When I served at Didcot fire station, we lived right across the road.”
As a firefighter, the family history gives Steve a sense of continuity. As a trade unionist, it drives him, because among the proud memories there’s a very sad one. His father died aged only 64, of lung cancer, following decades of exposure to fire contaminants on the job.
“We need to protect firefighters from contaminants, to reduce the risk of cancer” he says. “And I won’t rest until that risk is properly recognised, so that firefighters are better protected at work and receive regular health monitoring. We know that would save lives.”
CLOSE TO HEART
Now aged 42, Wright joined the fire service in Buckinghamshire in 2001, when he was 18, and was operational for more than 20 years. Becoming a watch manager in Oxfordshire, he was taught lessons you can’t learn any other way.
He was on duty for a major incident at Didcot Power Station in 2016, which required a dozen fire engines and 60 firefighters. “The building collapsed, you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. Going to incidents like that weighs heavily on you afterwards.”
“You never know what you’re going to face when the bell rings. But firefighting is all about working in a team while facing danger head on, leaving no-one behind. You build real trust. In a life-or-death situation, you come to really understand the meaning of leadership. Those skills have always been part of our strength as a union.”
POLITICS
Wright is the ninth general secretary to be elected in the union’s one hundred- and seven-year history.
“Firefighters have always fought for justice for workers, in the fire and rescue service and beyond. I’m proud to have been elected to continue this tradition.”
He cites the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy, and the union’s ongoing campaign against the deregulation of building and fire safety standards. “The building safety crisis impacts the firefighters who may face a fire in a dangerous tower block, but it’s also part of a bigger picture: austerity, standards of living, deep inequality.”
While he’ll no doubt be busy getting his feet under the desk, he lists his top three priorities as “investment, public safety, firefighter safety.” This includes fighting on pay, pensions justice, and better terms and conditions.
And with the rise of extreme weather events, Wright is keen to stress that proper fire service funding is more important than ever.
“For the first time in fifteen years, we are knocking on the door of a Labour government. This comes with real opportunities, but I’m not naïve about it: I know we won’t be handed anything without a fight. I’ll be pushing for our seat at the table at every chance. But that’s only one part of the job. The other will be to support and empower members to take action and build that pressure. That’s how we’ll make headway.”
ON THE FIRE STATION
During the election campaign, he spoke to firefighters across the country at visits to more than 85 fire stations and fire control rooms.
“It was useful to have those conversations, and the same issues were cutting through. I want to ensure I’m there as general secretary for all members”. The fundamental issue is lack of investment, he says, with more than 12,000 firefighter jobs cut and central funding slashed by 30 per cent since 2010.
“I’m going to make sure I’m seen on the ground” he says. “I pledged to visit every regional committee in my first 12 months, and I’ll spend weekends visiting fire stations. My son, who lives at home, will be the first to tell me if I am not delivering.”
