Retention of women firefighters

This Conference notes that the Government has removed its centrally driven equality
and diversity strategy and as such has left the onus upon individual Fire and Rescue
Services (FRS) to develop and implement equality policies locally. Conference notes
that many FRS are not prioritising equality and often use austerity measures as an
excuse.

Women have been firefighters in the UK for more than 30 years but still only make up
4% of all firefighters. Many women have joined the Service, but numbers of women
are still very low due to the Fire and Rescue Service being unable to retain women.
We therefore demand that by 2014 the Executive Council, in conjunction with the
NWC, negotiates within the National Joint Council an effective strategy for Brigades to
create a workplace environment which women are happy to work and remain in.