The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has today announced a wide-reaching plan to tackle sexual harassment.
At a meeting of the union’s Executive Council today, officials voted to endorse an ‘initial action plan’ on the subject, which will include mandatory training for all union officials on sexual harassment and ensuring safe spaces and an annual equalities audit, alongside other measures.
A full plan is expected to be adopted by the summer, following discussions at FBU conference in May.
The move comes in the wake of a report by independent consultants Laura Harrison and Robert Wishart. All women and all black and minority ethnic members of the union were asked to complete a detailed survey, alongside a random selection of other members.
The leadership of the FBU decided to proactively commission the report following discussions at the union’s conference and investigations at unions such as the GMB, TSSA and Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
Unlike reports into other unions, the report did not find any misconduct by senior national officials but it did show that sexual harassment was an issue in the union at a lower level.
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said:
Sexual harassment has no place in the trade union movement, or in society more broadly. The Fire Brigades Union stands with the victims of this behaviour, just as it stands on the side of everyone facing discrimination and oppression.
Today’s announcement is a key moment in our campaign to root any sexual harassment out of the FBU and the fire and rescue service more widely.
It was and is clear that sexual harassment is a serious issue in both the fire service and in the trade union movement. We knew that we would not be immune.
We took the step of commissioning an independent report because we wanted to uncover the unvarnished truth, and because we are determined to combat sexual harassment in all its forms. The findings of the report are serious, and we are fully committed to addressing them.
I would like to pay tribute to the FBU’s national women’s committee, who have played such a crucial role in pushing this work forward. The union’s equality sections will be at the heart of what we do on this issue.”
Robyn Richardson, Fire Brigades Union national women’s committee secretary, said:
As recent reports have highlighted, sexual harassment is a significant issue for many women in the fire and rescue service, and while the findings of today’s independent report are not surprising, they are sobering.
It is positive that we have as a union taken a proactive approach to uncovering sexual harassment, and now it is time to root it out. Today’s action plan is the start of that.
The FBU national women’s committee will play a central role in shaping the union’s campaigning, but it is the duty of every firefighter to speak up and call out sexual harassment where they see it.”
ENDS
NOTES
1. For more information please email [email protected] or ring Andy Whitaker on 07561896809
2. The FBU’s initial action plan on sexual harassment can be found here:2024HOC0063BS (1).pdf
3. The independent report can be found here: FBU SH Report 2024.pdf
