Global Alliance

This Conference welcomes the news that the FBU has joined with Unions representing firefighters in 12 countries to form the International Firefighters Unions Alliance (IFUA). Conference further welcomes that our General Secretary has been elected onto the steering committee which will oversee the development of the Alliance. Conference agrees with the following interim constitution: • Independent trade unionism and full trade union rights for the firefighting profession; • The best levels of remuneration, working conditions and retirement pension provision; • The highest standards of firefighting professionalism in order to achieve the highest level of community safety; • The highest standards of safety for firefighters; • Would seek to ensure that the firefighting profession and consequently firefighter unions is representative of the communities that they serve, vigorously opposing discrimination on grounds of religion, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, disability, age or trade union activity. Having the ability to learn from each other's experiences and particularly from each other's successes is of great importance, as is an international trade union voice for the firefighting profession. The alliance should also be in a position to promote and help develop independent trade unionism for firefighters in those countries where there are significant barriers to its development, particularly in the developing world. This Conference therefore supports the view that the aims and ethos of the Global Alliance must be included in all FBU political courses, both nationally and locally.