FBU Mass Meeting – Matt Wrack Speaking

The Fire & Rescue Service is under increasing attack across the whole of the UK.

How can we fight to defend ourselves and the public we protect?

FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack, Regional & Brigade Officials will discuss National & local issues and take your questions.

ALL BERKSHIRE FBU MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO THIS MEETING

Whether you are Wholetime, Retained or Control Staff its vital you attend.

21st MARCH @14:00
AYLESBURY RUGBY CLUB

Download Poster in PDF

Fire Authority Fails Residents of Berkshire

MEDIA RELEASE
18th February 2011

Berkshire Fire Authority has agreed to massive cuts in the service it provides to the people of Berkshire and made the frontline even thinner in the County. Instead of firefighters and fire engines, it will spend its money on new back office staff and new buildings.

The Authority agreed a budget cut of £1.4 million that will see – 

• a reduction to the number of firefighters at Newbury and Windsor
• a reduced attendance to automatic fire alarms in the County
• a 27% reduction in the number of operational and specialist officers
• a delayed attendance to incidents in rural areas
• the closure of Cookham Fire Station

At the same time, Fire Authority members put a massive £2.8 million aside for the employment of back office staff and future building projects. 

Maurice Whyte, FBU Berkshire Brigade Chair:

The FBU is appalled that the Fire Authority has failed the people of Berkshire. These budget cuts will expose Berkshire residents to increased risk and delayed responses to emergencies.

To save pennies, the Fire Authority is gambling with people’s lives and property. It has agreed not to use some fire engines, while overstretching others.

It is sickening to think that £2.8million is being put into reserves while £1.4 million is being cut to the detriment of public and firefighter safety. This is a sad day for the tax-payers of Berkshire.   

***ENDS***

Media Contacts –    

Maurice Whyte 07917 065867
Mark Stollery     07917 065868

Download in PDF format

Berkshire Fire Authority Management Committee Back Cuts to Fire Service Frontline Resources

MEDIA RELEASE
16th February 2011

The Management Committee of Berkshire’s Fire Authority failed to listen to warnings about the impact of their proposed budget for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service at a meeting in Reading on Monday night.

The proposed budget will now proceed to a meeting of the full Fire Authority for final approval on Thursday 17th February. If approved Berkshire residents will see:-

• A reduction of the number of fire engines responding to Automatic Fire Alarms.
• Delayed response to Low Risk Incidents in rural station areas.
• The reduction in the number of Officers.
• Shared crewing of the Heavy Rescue Unit (HRU) based at Newbury.

The promise of reviews on the above proposals does not allay FBU concerns. Tragically, the Management Committee made recommendations to put £1.4million into a capital development fund for buildings and at the same time made recommendations to cut £1.48million from the budget affecting frontline services. As a double whammy for the people of Berkshire, while agreeing to cut 24 frontline posts, the Fire Authority voted to employ two more back office managers at a cost of £90K.

Maurice Whyte, FBU Berkshire Brigade Chair:

The FBU are extremely alarmed that the Management Committee have backed cuts to frontline services whilst putting money aside for new buildings and back office staff. We call upon the full Fire Authority to reject the budget and demand a full review of service support functions.

If approved this budget will see the public being put at greater risk. The Fire Authority now has the opportunity to stop this attack on public and firefighter safety.

***ENDS***

Media Contacts:-

Maurice Whyte 07917 065867
Mark Stollery 07917 065868

Notes for editors:

Details of the proposed budget can be found at:
http://www.fbuberkshire.co.uk/2011/02/03/rbfrs-draft-budget-proposals-201112/

Meeting details:-

Full Fire Authority Meeting – Thursday 17th February 2011 at 6.30pm at Shaw House, Church Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2DL.

Note – This meeting is open to the public and FBU officials will be in attendance and available for interview.

Download in PDF format

Berkshire Circular: TAP Recommendations Acceptance Letter

BERKSHIRE ALL MEMBERS CIRCULAR
14^th February 2011

Dear All,

Please find bellow the letter sent to RBFRS Management outlining the FBU formall acceptance of the TAP recommendations:

14th February 2011

I write to inform you that the Berkshire Brigade Committee of the FBU on Monday 7^th February 2011 formally accepted the recommendations from TAP on the Windsor shift pattern, as outlined in Professor William Brown’s letter dated 4^th February 2011.

The FBU remains disappointed that RBFA has decided to downgrade Windsor fire station and continues to object to its closure at night. If the Fire Authority decides to press on with a Day Only shift pattern at Windsor, we request that it is reviewed at 6 months, 1 year and 3 years from the point of implementation. We also note that TAPs recommendations for the Windsor Day Only shift pattern are specific to that fire station and cannot be applied to any other fire service premises within Berkshire.

While accepting the recommendations, we feel that they do require supplementary agreements to allow them to be implemented in a practical and family-friendly manner.

1.            In agreeing to the duty hours 0800-2000 in view of the long shift and late finish,

1.1          We would expect that in the event of an incident requiring the duty personnel to work beyond 2000 hrs, they  will be relieved by 2030 hrs. We request that this agreement is monitored and forms part of the annual report of the RBFA Health & Safety Champion for compliance.

1.2          We would expect that management would agree with the FBU that in the event of a stand-by mobilization, the duty personnel are returned to Windsor fire station prior to 2000 hrs. Again, we request that this agreement is monitored and forms part of the annual report of the RBFA Health & Safety Champion for compliance.

1.3          We would ask that any kit/ appliance issues that arise from mobilizations that take duty personnel beyond their end of shift are left for the next day’s oncoming Watch to resolve. This request should prevent the duty personnel working more than 13 hours of continuous duty.

We also seek the following clarifications –

2.       In agreeing to the rota pattern, we note that the Northern Ireland model, which runs a similar shift cycle, has flexibility built into it to make the rota family-friendly. That is, personnel are permitted to break up two days (24 hours) into 4 hour or 6 hour periods. This is, of course, locally managed to ensure operational availability of the station fleet, but the need to break up the two days is prompted by the individual, not by brigade requirement. Would RBFA consider a similar provision for the Windsor Day Only shift pattern?  

3.         At the TAP hearing on 31st January 2011, we were pleased that the RBFRS team (Dr. Paul Bryant, Chair of the Fire Authority; Olaf Baars, Deputy Chief Fire Officer and Director of Service Delivery; David Wallace, Director of Human Resources) made it clear that Windsor would have a station complement of 2 Watches of 7 personnel and that these will be led by 2 Watch Managers; that is, with a separate Watch Manager in charge of each Watch (In contrast to the Wokingham shift pattern model, which runs with 1 Watch Manager in charge of 2 Watches).This will allow for an efficient management system. Can RBFA confirm that those reassurances made to the Technical Advisory Panel are accurately reflected above and will be actioned?

4.         When the FBU handed its proposals for the TAP submission to DHR David Wallace on 20^th January 2011, he stated that a dedicated Station Manager was ‘a given’. Can RBFA confirm that the Windsor Day Only shift patter will be run with a dedicated Station Manager and so prevent many of the problems that have been experienced with the Wokingham shift pattern?

5.      Can RBFA confirm whether it intends to make the two payments of £1000 pensionable and that these are ‘after tax’ figures?

6.         Can RBFA also confirm that volunteers will be sought to crew the Windsor Day Only shift pattern and that, if volunteers are not found, the Fire Authority will implement a selection process using selection criteria/weighting system agreed with the FBU?

We trust that you will find nothing objectionable in the above and look forward to hearing from you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further information.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Stollery     FBU Brigade Secretary                                                                                                     

Maurice Whyte  FBU Brigade Chair

Download in PDF format

Privatisation: How Not to Run a Fire Service

CIRCULAR: 2011HOC0093MW
15 February 2011
TO:      ALL MEMBERS 

Dear Brother/Sister

PRIVATISATION: HOW NOT TO RUN A FIRE SERVICE

There is increasing pressure within public services to ‘outsource’ i.e. privatise as much as possible. The Fire and Rescue Service is not exempt from this and we have witnessed creeping privatisation for the past twenty years or so as cleaning and catering have been handed over to private contractors in many areas. More recently we have seen buildings and equipment, including fire engines, handed over to the private sector. It is always claimed that this is a more ‘efficient’ way to conduct our ‘business’.  Regrettably even some who have risen through the ranks of the Fire Service have bought into this agenda – and some have gone on to find lucrative careers after retirement with one of the private firms seeking to make a profit out of the Fire Service.

The most well known case involves the fire engine fleet of the London Fire Brigade which was handed over to privatisation and is now owned by AssetCo. Press reports (in the Financial Times and elsewhere) over the past couple of days have highlighted the financial and commercial problems facing AssetCo. The company has been involved in failed discussions about a possible takeover and is subsequently attempting to refinance a £50million debt facility. As a result of these difficulties, the share price for AssetCo has plummeted.

These developments highlight how the privatisation of emergency services – even of parts of them – is a dangerous and flawed policy. Local communities cannot afford to rely on the commercial success or otherwise of a private firm to ensure that they have fire engines available.

Those who have championed privatisation, or who have negotiated the arrangements, have dismissed such risks as scaremongering.  I suspect they are very quiet now. We have also seen examples elsewhere of privatisations which have completely failed, forcing the state to step in with a public bail-out. The failure of Metronet on the London underground is just one such example. 

The only sensible and safe policy for the Fire and Rescue Service is for all aspects of the Service, including fleet management, training and support services, to remain in or return to the public sector.

Local FBU officials will have to monitor closely the plans of Local Authorities and should highlight, expose and oppose plans to hive off parts of our Service. 

Our Fire and Rescue Service –

An outstanding public service: don’t let them wreck it.

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally,

MATT WRACK
GENERAL SECRETARY 
MW/sll

Download in PDF format

Election of National Women’s Committee Secretary

CIRCULAR: 2011HOC0092MW                                                                
15th February 2011
TO: ALL MEMBERS
C.c. Executive Council Members
          Regional & Brigade Officials
          National Women’s CommitteeDear Brother/Sister,

ELECTION OF NATIONAL WOMEN’S COMMITTEE SECRETARY

I am pleased to inform you that at the closing date for receipt of nominations in the election for National Women’s Committee Secretary, Sister Kerry Baigent has been re-elected to office unopposed.

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally,

MATT WRACK
General Secretary
MW/PW/JW

Download in PDF format

London’s Fire Service “Seriously Compromised” by Reliance on AssetCo

MEDIA RELEASE
15th February 2011

The effectiveness of London’s fire service is now seriously compromised by the commercial and operational problems of AssetCo, which has a contract for the maintenance of all London’s fire engines, and is in line for further contracts, the Fire Brigades Union said today.

The company’s financial problems, widely reported today, are reflected in serious operational difficulties.  For nearly four months it has had custody of 27 of London’s fire engines, and was supposed to return them to their fire stations as soon as agreement was reached between the London Fire Brigade and the Fire Brigades Union. 

That agreement was finalised early on Friday afternoon, but for some reason the company was unable to return them, either on Friday or over the weekend.  On Monday it did not have the drivers available to return them, and the London Fire Brigade had to send its own drivers to collect them.

The company is still in line for another huge contract from the London Fire Brigade, to provide all LFB’s training.

Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said today:

“The recent fiasco of the 27 fire engines is a straw in the wind.  A company which is struggling financially must be tempted to cut corners.

“The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority wants to privatise as much as possible of LFB’s work, at any cost, for narrow ideological reasons; and it appears to want AssetCo, whose top directors are close to LFEPA chairman Brian Coleman, to get the work.

“The cost will be paid by Londoners in a lower standard of safety.  Firefighters and local communities cannot afford to rely on the success or otherwise of a private company to ensure they have fire engines available. Fire engines should be owned and maintained within the fire and rescue service. 

“If it all goes wrong the government will have to pick up the pieces, and we are advising ministers to ensure that the work is taken back into the public sector.  The only safe thing to do now is to take the work back into the London Fire Brigade.”

***ENDS***

Further Information:

Francis Beckett 020 8349 9194 or 07813 001372

Download in PDF format

London Fire Dispute Lifted – Now Where Are Our Fire Engines?

MEDIA RELEASE
13th February 2011

Twenty seven London fire engines are being held at a secret location by the private company AssetCo. They were originally taken away pending a resolution of the dispute between the London Fire Brigade and the Fire Brigades Union – but agreement to end the dispute was signed on Friday, and they have still not been returned.

The resolution of the dispute follows a meeting of the union’s London committee to consider outstanding issues.

FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack said: “Londoners will not understand why their fire engines are being held by a private contractor instead of being returned to fire stations. The Chief Fire Officer and Councillor Brian Coleman have repeatedly claimed that these fire engines are available and will be returned as soon as the dispute is ended. It is now ended and yet they are still unable to return them. The fire service is a 24 hour a day emergency service. London firefighters will be on duty all this weekend, waiting for the fire engines to be returned. Yet it appears that principal management and their friends at AssetCo are only able to work during so-called normal office hours.”

FBU Executive Council Member for London Ian Leahair said: “London has seen an increase in high rise fires and firefighter injuries in recent months and yet those appliances are still not available to deliver the much needed fire cover for Londoners.”

***ENDS***

Further Information:

Francis Beckett 020 8349 9194 or 07813 001372

FBU Raise Concerns over Royal Berkshire Fire Authority Budget Proposals

MEDIA RELEASE
13th February 2011

The proposed budget for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service will be discussed at the Management Committee meeting of the Fire Authority to be held on Monday 14^th February.

If approved the budget will proceed to a meeting of the full Fire Authority for final approval on Thursday 17^th February. Among the proposals to cut £1,480,000 from the service budget over the next year are:

• A reduction of the number of fire engines responding to Automatic Fire Alarms (AFA)- If an AFA call develops into a fire situation the reduced or delayed attendance will limit crews in the actions they can take to save life and prevent the fire spreading.  
• Changes to the Response to Low Risk Incidents in rural station areas – this will involve the removal of retained appliances responding to low risk calls in their own station area and will see a full-time fire engine being sent from further afield. This will leave both rural and urban areas vulnerable should the incident escalate or an incident occurs elsewhere.
• The reduction in the number of Officers – this will result in 27% less operational officers and will impact on command and control of incidents and the overall resilience of the service.
• Shared crewing of the Heavy Rescue Unit (HRU) based at Newbury - this will see the loss of 12 posts at Newbury fire station and would see the HRU being jointly crewed by the crew of Newbury’s full-time fire engine. Delays in emergency responses to house fires and road traffic collisions in the West Berkshire area could be encountered as a result of the HRU being deployed.

Maurice Whyte, FBU Berkshire Brigade Chair:
“These wide ranging budget proposals greatly concern FBU members in Berkshire. If implemented they will have a detrimental impact on the safety of the communities that we serve. Delayed and reduced attendances to house fires and road traffic collisions are possible as a result of the additional pressure on front-line resources.”

“The Fire Authority should produce a risk management plan that decides the level of service that it delivers to the public. FBU members fear that the Fire Authority is using the budget proposals to bring in cuts without a proper risk assessment on their impact upon public safety.”

***ENDS***

Media Contacts:

Maurice Whyte 07917 965867

Mark Stollery 07917 065868 

Notes for editors:

Details of the proposed budget can be found at:

http://www.fbuberkshire.co.uk/2011/02/03/rbfrs-draft-budget-proposals-201112/

Meeting details:-

Management Committee meeting – Monday 14^th February 2011 at 7.30pm at The Civic Centre, Reading, RG1 7TD.

Full Fire Authority meeting – Thursday 17th February 2011 at 6.30pm at Shaw House, Church Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2DL.

FBU Challenges Essex Fire Chiefs: Back up Public Allegation or Apologise

ESSEX FIRE BRIGADES UNION
11 February 2011

The FBU has challenged Essex fire chiefs to back up their wholly unsubstantiated public allegation against a union official with hard evidence, or retract it and apologise. The allegation was made in connection with the recent summary dismissal of a firefighter who won his job back on appeal.

In a desperate attempt to deflect growing criticism at the over-zealous sacking, Essex fire chiefs issued a media statement alleging their original decision to sack the firefighter was the fault of advice from a union official – advice that managers apparently didn’t like.

Mick Rogers, Essex FBU Secretary:

“This is a very serious and defamatory allegation. First disciplinary charges are brought in connection with a confidential letter between the firefighter and his local councillor, then the management rush to sack the firefighter, and then they try to save face by reinstating the firefighter whilst trying to blame the sacking all on the advice of a union official in some kind of PR stunt.

“Our solicitors have confirmed that in their legal opinion all the union officials dealing with the case have given appropriate advice in all the circumstances.

“The service claim new evidence about the union official’s advice came to light after their original decision to dismiss the firefighter and that the new evidence was material in the decision to reinstate on appeal. According to the principles of natural justice, the management must now back up their serious allegation by providing the hard evidence and affording the union official the fundamental right to defend their good name. The firefighter is also entitled to see the new evidence that apparently played such a material part in his dismissal and then his reinstatement.

“We have written to the chief fire officer seeking full disclosure of all the evidence within 7 days to back up their allegation. If our request is refused or the evidence fails to materialise then everyone will be free to draw their own conclusions as to what it is they have to hide. And if they refuse to back up their very public allegation then we have every right to expect a full retraction and a public apology.”

Given the public nature of the allegation made, a copy of the formal letter to the chief fire officer in response is attached.

***ENDS***

Media contacts:

Mick Rogers 07967 023709

Nick Mayes 07917 065870

Keith Handscomb 07730 435633

Download in PDF Format

Next Page »