Workers should vote in favour of remaining within the European Union at the upcoming referendum, the leadership of the Fire Brigades Union has recommended.
The FBUs executive council, made up of representatives from each region, has issued a policy statement supporting a vote to stay within the EU that will be put to the union’s annual conference in May. Delegates at the conference, which runs from 11 – 13 May in Blackpool, will then vote on whether to approve the final position.
In a video update to members Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, says that the statement is not overwhelmingly in support of the European Union but on balance there are more benefits for workers to remain in. “We’re very critical of the European Union and what it has done in terms of austerity. People will remember the attacks on the Greek government over their resistance to austerity simply because they didn’t want to make cuts to public sector pay and pensions.
“But on the other hand a number of rights workers have in the UK today are based upon EU regulation around equal pay, part time workers where we have won legal cases for retained firefighters based on that legislation, around health and safety and the working time directive.
“Weighing up all of those up on balance the executive council have recommended a vote to remain.”
