FBU

Fire Brigades Union

FBU: The rank and file must take the initiative

Resist the sell-out, reject the deal Firefighters fighting further attacks on their terms and conditions found this week that the FBU leadership was intent on negotiating a deal which would open the door to changes in the four-watch shift system, and even allow fire service management the option of closing some fire stations overnight, even while it encouraged firefighters to risk suspension in pursuit of a union policy it no longer believed in. Having spent weeks insisting that 'stand down time' (the time, in the early hours of the night, when fire crews are only required to attend calls, not...

Firefighters suspend conference

By Nick Holden The conference of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) was suspended on its first day (11 May), following the collapse of talks between the FBU leadership and the employers over the implementation of the latest stage in the deal which brought the firefighters' strike to an end a year ago. Shortly before the conference the employers announced that they wouldn't be paying the second stage of the agreed pay increase, unless the FBU agreed to end "stand down time" - the practice of allowing crews on night shift to go off active duty in the early hours of the morning. The union leadership...

Unofficial action in 85% of fire brigades

The Fire Brigades Union estimates that unofficial industrial action (mostly work-to-rules or 999-only) is taking place in 85% of brigades across Britain. The action is underpinned by discontent over pay and conditions, and has been sparked by victimisations. As of 20 May, 47 firefighters in the Manchester area were suspended. The AWL urges all trade unionists to ring Salford Fire Station with messages of support: 0161 908 9703/01/02, or fax to 0161 908 9700. More... .

Manchester firefighters need solidarity action!

Nineteen firefighters in Manchester have been sent home without pay in what is increasingly looking like a management lock-out in a bid to break the Fire Brigades' Union before it holds a recall conference next month to consider a strike ballot. Two weeks ago the FBU conference was controversially suspended to allow delegates to return to branches and consult on a possible strike ballot, following management's failure to pay the second stage of a three stage pay deal, and their insistence on adding on new changes in working practices not in the original deal. That deal, which was unpopular...

London Firefighters Vote Yes to Industrial Action

Fire Brigades Union (FBU) members in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have voted by 122 to 21 to take industrial action short of a strike in a dispute over plans by the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to force firefighters to attend ambulance calls. The union balloted its members after managers refused to enter negotiations. The FBU said the issue also raised major concerns about the ambulance service's inability to provide a speedy response to major medical emergencies. It said firefighters, unlike paramedics, were not trained to make medical diagnoses nor could they administer drugs. The FBU is...

Reinstate Steve Godward: lobby on 22 March

West Midlands FBU will be protesting on 22 March to demand that the Fire Service reinstates Steve Godward. Steve was sacked over allegations arising from the FBU strike a year ago. He has successfully pusued a campaign to clear his name. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has concluded that Steve should not have been sacked. And yet his employer has not given him his job back, and is instead trying to appeal. Below is a letter from Steve's FBU branch giving details of the case, and inviting you to support the protest. The Fire Brigades Union WEST MIDLANDS Fire Brigades Union Office...

FBU to follow the RMT?

The leadership of the FBU are preparing to follow the RMT into conflict with the Labour Party leadership, by proposing to next month's FBU conference a shake-up of the union's political activity. This will include a reduction in donations to the Labour Party, and a move which would return FBU policy to the position of the 2001 conference - with the exception that this time, the leadership will be proposing it, rather than fighting it. The conference agenda contains motions calling for disaffiliation from Labour, and it is in the face of these calls that the EC has agreed to put a "middle...

FBU leaders recommend funds change

The leadership of the Fire Brigades Union is to recommend cutting donations to Labour and might redirect funding to other parties. The FBU leadership states: The Fire Brigades Union should carry out a root and branch restructuring of its political work. So its national executive will recommend to its May conference. The move came at a special meeting of the 18-strong executive in response to calls to split from the Labour Party at the union's annual conference in May. They reflect the union membership's anger at Government tactics used during the 9-month long pay dispute and particularly...

Disaffiliation is not the answer

By Colin Foster The Labour Party has expelled the railworkers' union RMT. The Communication Workers' Union has condemned the expulsion and called on the Labour Party to discuss with the RMT. But many socialists have rejoiced, saying that the RMT's expulsion should and will be followed by many other unions deciding of their own accord to break links with Labour. In fact that is unlikely. The Fire Brigades Union conference in March will have motions before it for disaffiliation. It is the exception. Past CWU conferences have seen lively arguments about the political fund. However, last year's...

FBU: leaving Labour will not stop the bureaucrats

By Nick Holden The agenda for the annual conference of the Fire Brigades' Union (at Bridlington, May 11-14) has just been published and there are several motions advocating disaffiliation from the Labour Party or the opening up of the political fund to allow branches to support non-Labour candidates. The FBU conference three years ago voted for a position similar to that recently taken by the RMT (which resulted in the Labour Party National Executive expelling them) but following a year of lobbying by the union leadership the decision was reversed in 2002. Last year the conference was...

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