The FBU is currently balloting it’s members over the continuation of the union’s political fund ballot.
Last week we received a question via Twitter about the fund:
@fbunational Political Fund Ballot. If 69p goes to this fund for political campaigning, then what do you spend £23.18 Trade subscription on?
— David Moffat (@dmoff1969) April 2, 2014
Here’s a reply from Dave Green, national officer:
“Everything else! Printing Firefighter (our membership magazine), posting circulars to branches, legal claims, fighting for members who are threatened with discipline, assisting with travel and subsistence for officials at every level of the union, phones for officials, IT for officials, running the regional offices, dealing with members grievances, ensuring health and safety legislation is complied with in brigades, producing technical fire service specific reports, wages of FBU employees both at head office and in the regions, education of members and officials, running conferences.
“Our annual report details exactly what members subs goes on and is sent to every branch. It is independently audited.
“The FBU prides itself and being one of the few ‘trade’ unions that are left. Other unions have amalgamated and merged into general unions and have lost their identity and their ability to truly represent the trade. The FBU has been in existence since 1918 and in order to defend the service, the communities we serve and firefighters at every level. It is essential we maintain that independence.”
The ballot opened on Monday 31 March and runs until Friday 2 May. All members should now have received their ballot papers. If you haven’t, please contact [email protected].
