Defending Services, Jobs, Pay and Pensions

CIRCULAR:   2011HOC0090MW
10 February 2011
TO: ALL MEMBERS

Dear Brother/Sister

DEFENDING SERVICES, JOBS, PAY AND PENSIONS

You will be aware of the scale of attacks on our services and on our jobs, pay and pensions. Our fight against the devastating cuts we face has to involve major political campaigning and may also regrettably require industrial action in order to protect hard won conditions. As part of this debate, FBU Branches are asked to debate the attached model resolution. Please ensure that Brigade Officials are informed of the outcome of this debate.

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally

MATT WRACK
GENERAL SECRETARY
MW/sll

Att.

MODEL RESOLUTION

DEFENDING SERVICES, JOBS, PAY AND PENSIONS

This Branch is completely opposed to the huge cuts proposed for our Fire and Rescue Service and other public services as a result of the Comprehensive Spending Review in October 2010. For the Fire and Rescue Service this cuts agenda will mean fewer Firefighters and an inability to respond as quickly and effectively to emergencies or to engage professionally in protection or prevention work. This will inevitably increase risks to the public and to Firefighters. In the case of the Fire Service: CUTS COST LIVES.

We note that in the Fire Service we now face a sustained attack on our pay, our pensions, our jobs and our conditions of service. It is simply not possible to build a modern and effective Fire and Rescue Service while continually attacking the professional workforce which delivers the Service on the front line. We therefore support the campaign to oppose job losses, cuts and attacks on our pay and pensions, including, if necessary by national strike action at the appropriate time.

The cuts agenda we face will only be resisted by a major national political campaign. This should involve trade unions and local communities working together to highlight the alternative to the huge cuts we face. We support efforts by the FBU and other Unions to build such a campaign, including the TUC demonstration on March 26.

We note that on a number of issues, including pay and pensions, public sector workers face the same attack. We therefore support the widest possible coordination of political campaigning and (if appropriate) industrial action coordinated between Unions. We also support the efforts by the FBU to build such coordination. Such discussion may in due course produce the opportunity for wider days of action coordinated through the Trade Union movement.

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