Elon Musk thinking and looking forwards with his hands up to his mouth

Musk versus workers

As UK politicians start to echo Trump and Musk’s attacks on public sector workers, Eric Blanc writes on how workers are starting to fight back in the US – and what we can learn  “I’m a federal worker, and I feel like a canary in the coal mine right now—because what they’re doing to us is going to...
FBU member holds up a sign reading 'crew deficient equals safety deficient'

Crewing: countdown to disaster

When fire and rescue services send firefighters out in crews of just three on a fire engine, lives are on the line. Firefighter reports.  A hotel is burning. People are still inside and need help to get out. Many of them don’t speak English as their first language and are panicking.  Your crew is...
Protestors hold 'no cuts' placards

Wealth tax not welfare cuts, says FBU

The Fire Brigades Union has urged the government to change course after chancellor Rachel Reeves committed to cutting billions of pounds from the welfare budget in her Spring Statement on 26 March. The welfare cuts, which will amount to around £5 billion, are largely targeted at disability benefit...
A group of FBU members hold flags outside Gloucestershire county council building

Up to standard

The cover story of this edition of Firefighter will be familiar to many FBU members. In many areas, it is no longer guaranteed that there will be enough firefighters on a fire engine to safely tackle an incident. As we report in this issue, firefighters attending incidents as part of a crew of four...
Steve Wright standing in front of a fire engine at Kingston fire station

Chancellor must not betray ‘covid heroes’ with austerity, says union leader

By Anonymous
As the Chancellor prepares to deliver her Spring Statement, a trade union leader has urged her not to betray public sector workers by inflicting cuts to pay and services. During the pandemic, firefighters delivered medicine, drove ambulances and moved the bodies of the dead. Millions of workers...
Rachel Reeves holding red budget briefcase outside downing street

Reeves must not become Labour’s ‘austerity Chancellor’, union leader warns

By Alice Dann
Fire Brigades Union general secretary Steve Wright has warned Rachel Reeves not to adopt Tory welfare benefit cuts. Responding to a report that the Treasury is planning to cuts welfare spending by billions, Wright said Reeves must not become the ''Austerity Chancellor'. Steve Wright, Fire Brigades...
Two firefighters hold signs reading 'crews of three, not for me' and 'RIP public safety'

Staffordshire firefighters challenge 'crews of three'

Firefighters in Staffordshire have launched a public petition in the fight back against a dangerous policy allowing retained firefighters to attend incidents as a team of three. The service has pushed ahead with the policy despite 130 firefighters involved in the trial signing a letter in opposition...
A firefighter holds a sign reading 'Cuts cost lives, stop fire service cuts'

Fire and rescue services in England still face government funding cuts

Fire and rescue services in England face a real term cut to central government funding, with a below inflation increase of 1.4% this year. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government publishes the amount of funding local authorities receive annually, which includes funds for fire and...
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