Equalities

Katie Holloway, chair of the FBU national women’s committee, looks back at a quarter of a century of work for women and forward to the future The National Women’s Committee (NWC) was inaugurated in 1999, at a one-off special meeting at Wortley Hall near Sheffield. The meeting gathered women...

The next phase of the Equality Matters campaign was launched in February, with new materials and resources to equip members to stand against discrimination in the workplace Delegates at FBU conference 2023 voted for a UK-wide campaign to fight for equality in the fire and rescue service, after...

The country’s second largest fire service has approved maternity leave of 52 weeks on full pay. West Midlands brigade secretary Sasha Hitchins reports West Midlands Fire Service, the second largest in the country, announced on 3 October that its strategic enabling team had approved 52 weeks full pay...

Calling all disabled and neurodivergent members Equality is a trade union principle and is a priority for the FBU. A core part of that commitment is to give a voice to under-represented groups in our union. Following discussion at conference 2023, we are beginning to better understand how we can...

It seems clear that trans rights are being used as a political football says FBU LGBT+ national secretary Pat Carberry Many will recognise the increase in profile that the issue of trans equality has received in recent years. The 2001 census revealed that around 262,000 people in the UK said their...

FBU black and ethnic minority members (BEMM) section delegates to the TUC black workers conference this year were BEMM reps Corneil Power, London region; Kasey LeGall, East Midlands region; and Jamie Newell, EC member Eastern region Kasey Le Gall moved the BEMM section’s resolution on work by the...

International Women’s Day saw the opening of this year’s women’s TUC conference. Kerry McCrone, women’s rep for West Area, Scotland, reports. FBU delegates Georgie Fielding, Kerry McCrone and Leoni Munslow took to the rostrum to discuss a range of issues affecting FBU members and the wider community...

More than 30 union members from all around the UK attended the FBU LGBT+ school in Brighton. Graeme Hopkins reports For some, it was a good chance to catch up with old friends after a gap of two years due to Covid and for others, including myself, this was their first school. The three-day education...

Reporting of changes to strength tests for all firefighters was factually incorrect and seems designed to have a negative impact of serving and potential female firefighters, says Rachel Rogers There is no getting away from the fact that the firefighter role is overwhelmingly male. Over the years...

Retired firefighter Lud Ramsey championed equality and called out racist abuse throughout his career. Now as a Labour councillor and member of the Derbyshire fire authority his lifelong passion for justice remains undimmed. Helen Hague spoke to him Lud Ramsey knows all too well what it feels like to...