Firefighters gathered close to Parliament

FBU slams "insulting" Tory MP comments on firefighters

By Ben Duncan-Duggal
The FBU has hit back after a Tory MP commented on reports of firefighters being forced to foodbanks by saying “£32,244 and using a food bank? Never heard such a ridiculous thing in my life… I suggest learning how to budget”. FBU general secretary Matt Wrack has said that the comments are “a disgrace...

RDS firefighters – Vote Yes for Fair Pay

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Dear Brother / Sister RDS Firefighters – Vote Yes for Fair Pay Retained Duty System members, alongside wholetime members of the FBU, recently took part in a consultative ballot on whether to reject or...
Pledge card for strike ballot

Vote on strike follows strong consultative ballot response

FBU members are voting on strike action after a resounding rejection of the “derisory” 5% pay offer. On a 78% turn out 79% voted to reject. The ballot on strike action will close on Monday 30 January. The FBU’s executive council is recommending a vote in favour of strike action. Matt Wrack, FBU...
RCN gen sec Pat Cullen

Solidarity with nurses

Pat Cullen, general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, urges solidarity and support between firefighters and nurses as both contemplate strike action to protect patients and the public Nurses have said enough is enough – no longer can we accept that we are too important...
Bristol branch meeting pay campaign 2022 credit Paul Box

Strike action is always a last resort, but we are left with no other option

Strike action is always a last resort, but we are left with no other option. STRIKE BALLOT By the time you are reading this, you should have received a ballot paper in the post to your home address. This is undeniably a historic moment. If a national strike were to take place, it would be the first...

Driven by poverty pay

With only the third ever national fire service strike in prospect, Will Stone talks to FBU members involved in previous disputes November marked the 20th anniversary of the start of a nationwide strike by more than 50,000 firefighters over pay. It was a bitter dispute lasting more than six months...
Derry meeting N Ireland Oct 2022

Members’ message came back clear

We are in the middle of a national strike ballot on pay. The first in over 20 years. The importance and significance of this is huge. We should remind ourselves how we ended up here. In the summer, despite rampant inflation, our employers made us a 2% pay offer. FBU members were shocked and insulted...

Firefighter magazine, Dec 2022/January 2023

FF front cover Dec 2022 Jan 2023
This issue remembers the last national pay strike in 2002/03, talking to FBU members serving and retired, who were part of that campaign and FBU general secretary Matt Wrack outlines the background to this pay campaign. There’s also a feature about the link between trade unions and Wortley Hall, the...

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