The Fire Brigades Union will begin legal proceedings against Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Authority over the sacking of victimised firefighter and senior union official Ricky Matthews.
Fire chiefs sacked Ricky, via a letter delivered to his wife during the middle of the night, when he took strike action with over 30,000 other firefighters in England between 31 October and 4 November. They claim the FBU incorrectly called strike action on those dates however they never challenged the union legally in court even though they had the opportunity.
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Authority chose not to take a legal challenge against our strike call when they had the chance and instead left this contentious legal issue untested in court.
“The FBU had a QC ready and waiting to defend our strike call but went unchallenged. We will contest the authority’s position that Ricky took unlawful strike action.
“More than 30,000 firefighters in England took strike action on those days yet only one was summarily dismissed.
“This is a pure victimisation of Ricky Mathews by a fire authority which seems to have an agenda to attack union officials and members.”
Firefighters across the UK are supporting their sacked colleague Ricky Matthews in a march and rally today in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.
Firefighters are currently participating in a 24 hour strike due to unworkable pension plans that the Westminster government are imposing.
