The scale of opposition among Cleveland firefighters to the ‘mutualisation’ of the local fire and rescue service has been revealed in survey figures release today.
Last year managers at Cleveland Fire Brigade began attempts to change their existing ‘Community Interest Company’ into a ‘Public Service Mutual’ responsible for the full gambit of fire service operations, and Fire Minister Brandon Lewis has pledged £95,000 to support their plans.
However, in a survey of members commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union and conducted by Yougov, 97% of firefighters said they were fully opposed to the proposals.
Andy Noble, who represents the North East region on the FBU’s executive council said: “Firefighters are united in their opposition to mutualisation, and it’s high time these plans were scrapped.
“Firefighters know best what works for public safety – and their own – and their rejection of these plans could hardly be more categoric.
“Hopefully we can now lay to rest claims among government and management that there is a desire amongst firefighters and emergency control staff in Cleveland to adopt such a business model.
“Fire and rescue services across the country must learn to include fire and rescue staff in discussions that will impact on how the service is delivered on the front line”.
The Fire Brigades Union has argued that the drive towards mutual fire and rescue services is a stepping stone towards the eventual privatisation of a publicly owned emergency service.
The scale of opposition was revealed in other statics:
– 97% said the conversion would change the Fire and Rescue Service for the worse
– 92% said that such a move would worsen the level of service available
In addition, the sense of exclusion from the process was also apparent:
– Nearly all respondents said that the implications of mutualisation had not been adequately explained to them
– 94% said that they are either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with opportunities available to put forward views to the fire authority
– Nearly all respondents said they needed more information on how mutualisation would affect employment terms, job security, pensions, pay and job role.
FBU members in Cleveland say they will now continue to lobby the fire authority until their overwhelming opposition is acknowledged.
