Lobbying

Firefighters from across North Yorkshire will take part in a regional demonstration against austerity next month. The ‘Better Way’ demo has been organised by the Yorkshire and the Humber Trade Union Congress (TUC) and will be held on Saturday 8 March in York. The march will assemble outside Clifford...

Firefighters in Cleveland will hold a rally against cuts to local fire and rescue services in Middlesbrough town centre at lunchtime this Saturday. Davy Howe, Fire Brigades Union secretary in Cleveland, said: “The firefighters of Cleveland need the support of our local community now more than ever....

Cumbrian firefighters this week celebrated success in their campaign to defend local fire and rescue services after the county council confirmed that it would scale back cuts. Graeme Higgins, Fire Brigades Union Secretary in Cumbria, said: “This is a victory for the communities of Cumbria, as...

Expecting large numbers of firefighters in their late 50s to fight fires and rescue families is not just ludicrous: it’s dangerous to the public and to firefighters. Firefighters, who already pay some of the highest contributions in the public or private sector, would also be expected to pay an...

The government is currently consulting on a third successive year of pension contribution increases for firefighters. The increases could mean many firefighters who earn less than £29,000 pay more than £4,000 a year towards their pension, pricing many out of the scheme. The Fire Brigades Union has...

Firefighters and supporters will hold a rally against cuts to Fire and Rescue Services in Surrey on Tuesday 4 February. The event will take place from noon outside County Hall, Penrhyn Road, in Kingston and is timed to coincide with a meeting of the Surrey Council cabinet. Everyone is welcome to...

A motion has been submitted in the House of Commons that argues for a formal obligation for firefighters to attend flooding. Despite an expectation that fire and rescue services attend flooding, there is currently no formal requirement that they must do so in England and Wales. In order to best...

The Fire Brigades Union has responded to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s consultation on proposed increases to firefighters’ pension contribution rates in 2014. The union’s response outlines firefighters’ concerns over the proposals, describing them as ‘unjustified and self...

Over the last few weeks firefighters have been responding to devastating floods across the UK. But despite an expectation that fire and rescue services will attend such incidents, there is no formal requirement that they must do so in England and Wales. In order to best prepare for future...

Firefighters will be joined by local campaigners in widespread protests against London fire station closures tomorrow (Thursday). The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has forced through £45m of cuts in the London Fire Brigade, resulting in the closure of ten stations and the loss of 588 frontline...