FBU

Fire Brigades Union

Left wins in fire union

A grassroots activist, socialist and outspoken critic of the current FBU leadership has been elected General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, defeating incumbent Andy Gilchrist. Matt Wrack beat Gilchrist by 12,833 votes to 7,259, in a poll which saw 40% of the union’s membership voting, a high turn-out for a union election. The “old guard” around Gilchrist are continuing their efforts to smear Wrack, and others, for their involvement in “Grassroots FBU”, a rank and file body formed after the union collapsed to defeat in the pay strike last year. They are presenting a report to the FBU...

Matt Wrack wins FBU General Secretary election

Fire Brigades Union press release 6 May 2005 Matt Wrack has been elected General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union. He defeated Andy Gilchrist in a secret postal ballot conducted by Electoral Reform Balloting services in which over 40% of members voted. The result: Votes cast: 20,663 Spoilt 571 Matt Wrack 12,883 (63.9%) Andy Gilchrist 7,259 (36.1%) Matt Wrack said: “I am enormously proud to be elected and thank everyone who participated in the ballot. I congratulate Andy Gilchrist on a hard fought campaign. “We now need to unite and face the challenges ahead. The FBU is the only union in...

Tax the rich to pay for pensions!

By Martin Thomas On 23 March, and maybe on 26 April, public sector workers will be striking against the New Labour government’s move to “level down” their pensions nearer to the misery already enforced in the private sector. The civil servants’ union PCS and local government members of the public service union Unison and other unions have all returned ballot majorities for a strike on 23 March. The teachers’ union NUT is balloting for a strike on 26 April, and has approached other education unions to join it on that day. Details vary from one part of the public sector to another, but the...

What is at stake, sector by sector

By kate Ahrens In local government, Unison, TGWU, Amicus and UCATT are taking action on 23 March following votes for strike ranging from 70% to 83%. Alongside them will be the civil service union PCS, and even the small senior civil service union FDA, who had not had a strike ballot in 20 years but have voted to take action now. NIPSA, the Northern Ireland public services union, is also taking action. Education unions are now balloting and NATFHE and NUT are discussing an “education” day of strike action in late April, with NUT proposing 26 April. When NATFHE first announced their intention to...

Stop the fire service cuts!

By Lily Kitching The London Fire Brigades Union has called a demonstration on Thursday 17 March to protest about fire service cuts in London. Ten areas in central London could see fire crews cut as part of a package of measures first announced last year. The cuts include the closure of Manchester Square station, which is near Oxford Street — i.e. one of the busiest areas of central London. A number of neighbouring fire stations also face cuts — Westminster, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Euston will all lose a fire engine. Watch strengths will be reduced at 32 stations which currently have two...

Hackney trade union reports

Two items from Hackney TUC's website that might be of interest. Report on the local protest on the TUC's day of action in defence of pensions . An article about the local impact of the proposed fire service cuts .

Challenge to Gilchrist

Matt Wrack, a militant activist from the London region, has been elected as the Fire Brigades Union’s (FBU) new Assistant General Secretary, and will soon challenge Andy Gilchrist for General Secretary position. Wrack received 6,260 votes, John McGhee (the leadership’s favourite) won 5,527, and “middle ground” candidate Dean Mills got 1,981 votes. While many members of the union remain disheartened and demoralised (the turnout, at around 25%, was low for an FBU national election), there is a developing movement for radical change within the FBU. Wrack’s victory follows that of rank-and-file...

Militant activist wins key position in Fire Brigades Union

Matt Wrack, a militant activist from the London region, has won a resounding victory to become the Fire Brigades Union's new Assistant General Secretary. Wrack's victory over leadership favourite John McGhee is a clear warning signal to General Secretary Andy Gilchrist, who is up for re-election himself later this year, that FBU members are not prepared to 'forgive and forget' the poor leadership of the Gilchrist faction (of which John McGhee was a leading member) over the past few years. The election result shows that while many members of the union remain disheartened and demoralised (the...

Fire service cuts: Not just in Bethnal Green

From London FBU: As the public consultation exercise on what even the Evening Standard refers to as "the ironically titled London Safety Plan" approaches its final week, it is clear that opposition to the proposed cuts is growing from across the political spectrum and from business organisations, trade unions plus community and residents' groups. MP for Hendon Andrew Dismore has tabled the following Parliamentary Early Day Motion: "That this House notes the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority's public consultation exercise on the London Safety Plan; expresses its concerns on the...

Unison and NUT ballot for pensions strikes

The public services union Unison will ballot its members in local government for a strike in defence of pensions. The ballot will close on 9 March. Around 28 January, the word was that the strike might be on 17 March, opening the possibility of joint action with teaching unions. But the word now is that the day will be 23 March - in the Easter school holidays. Amicus, TGWU, and according to some accounts GMB, are also reportedly planning to ballot their members in local government. FBU is consulting its members. The National Union of Teachers is balloting its members area by area (so that...

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