Firefighter reports from TUC and Labour Party conference 2025
This September, FBU delegates travelled to Brighton for the annual Trades Union Congress – a conference that brings together trade unions from across the movement to discuss, debate and decide on policy.
And as a Labour affiliated union, the FBU also intervened in the party’s annual conference in Liverpool this autumn.
Here are the headlines:
Funding the fire service (TUC and Labour)
FBU general secretary Steve Wright opened the second day of TUC Congress by calling for trade unions to join the fight against fire and rescue service cuts. The demand for investment was backed unanimously by delegates.
“My job here today is simple: to raise the alarm and warn you that if there are any more cuts to the fire service, lives will be lost.”
This call was taken to Labour Party conference by the FBU, Communication Workers Union (CWU), Transport Salaried Staff Association (TSSA), and Unite the Union, with a motion demanding the reversal of austerity through a wealth tax – to fund public services and specifically address the shortage of firefighters – passed by delegates.
“Cuts kill.. we need a Labour government investing in the fire service.”
Wealth tax – (TUC)
“The Sunday Times rich list in 2025 listed 156 billionaires up from 15 in 1990… If only a small amount of their wealth was taxed, there would be billions for public services.”
Corniell Power, B&EMM section health and safety rep spoke in favour of progressive taxation at TUC
Zane’s law (TUC)
TUC Congress voted to support Zane’s Law, named after seven year old Zane Gbangbola who died from hydrogen cyanide poisoning in 2014 after flood water passed through a historic landfill site.
Joe Weir, FBU executive council member for the South East, presented the motion, calling for the government to regulate contaminated land.
Wages not Weapons (TUC)
Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), brought a motion calling for the government to prioritise spending on public services instead of on defence.
Acknowledging that some UCU members work in the defence industry, the union called for “funding in alternative employment, not simply more of the same.”
FBU president Ian Murray spoke in favour of the motion, noting that “it's the working class that end up paying for wars”, and that “ministers have never explained to us why they can find extra money for defence, yet they can't find it for public services.”
“The need for these basic, essential services is much greater than the need to increase overseas military spending.”
Climate emergency (TUC)
Delegates voted for a trade union year of climate action 2025- 2026, with a day of action on November 14. Sarah Woolley of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) spoke in support:
“Whether it is heatwaves making workplaces unsafe, floods devastating our communities or unaffordable energy bills eating into our wages, the reality is clear. Climate breakdown is not something that might happen in the future, it is happening now, to our members.”
Unite and GMB proposed an amendment to add that “understanding that future fossil fuel production can only be ended when and where a fully funded workers’ plan for jobs has been agreed and delivered in full”.
The FBU supported the motion unamended, arguing that while a just transition must be at the heart of climate action, climate change is impacting firefighters and communities now – and we cannot afford to delay campaigning. The amended motion was debated and passed.
Bin strikes (Labour)
FBU national officer Adam Taylor spoke in support of a motion calling for Labour to support workers’ rights – with the Birmingham bin workers facing an £8,000 pay cut an extreme example of government failing workers.
“To the Birmingham bin workers, the FBU have always stood with you, from the very start to the very end.
“In 2019, the bosses came to firefighters with a pay offer that would have meant, if we had accepted it, we'd have been breaking the strikes in Birmingham today. We will never break any strikes.”
Water pollution (Labour)
Andrew Fox-Hewitt, FBU executive council member for the North West, spoke in favour of public ownership of water. Water companies’ pollution is a threat to firefighters’ health while training and responding to floods
Fringe: building safety (Labour)
The FBU hosted a fringe event on the building safety crisis. National Officer Mark Rowe spoke alongside Kim Johnson MP, Joe Powell MP, and representatives from campaign groups on cladding removal and building safety.
