Positive action days

Conference is concerned about the lack of fi refi ghter recruitment over a sustained period of time. This is due to reductions in establishments and the practice of carrying vacancies when staff retire. There has been very little wholetime recruitment for several years. Of the few Fire and Rescue Services recruiting, some are branding their positive action days as ‘Have a go Days’, in a bid to attract people from under-represented groups. We feel this is sometimes implemented in a way which demeans or misrepresents the skills and qualities that women and other under-represented groups can bring to the role of a fi refi ghter.

We call on this Conference that the Executive Council, in consultation with the NWC, B&EMM and LGBT committees, create a best practice guidance to assist Fire and Rescue Services with positive action and that this be completed by the end of October 2016.