Part Time Workers Settlement – Enquiries

CIRCULAR: 2011HOC0154AD
31^st March 2011
TO:   ALL RETAINED MEMBERS
C.c   ALL WHOLETIME MEMBERS

Dear Brother/Sister,

A number of members have contacted Head Office following the publication of All Members Circular 2011HOC0140AD.

Information will be issued to branches very shortly with guidance on the settlement. As you will have seen from the documentation, at the current time FRSs are (i) calculating the settlement sum for each eligible employee, and (ii) providing these calculations and other data to Popularis. Similarly, Popularis has no information to provide to members.

Until those calculations have been sent to Popularis for distribution, there is little else to be done other than ensure that your correct address has been registered with your FRS employer. Staff at Head Office are unable to assist with your enquiries, which is disappointing and frustrating for members who call.

We appreciate that eligible members are anxious to know the details of their individual financial settlement, but in turn we hope that members can appreciate the collation of data for currently employed eligible members and eligible members who have retired from the Fire and Rescue Service since July 2000 (without necessarily maintaining out of trade status and/or keeping head office informed of changes of address), is a very large task.

Yours fraternally,

ANDY DARK
Assistant General Secretary
AD/JW

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March 26 Demonstration: A Marvellous Day of Solidarity

CIRCULAR2011HOC0151MW                                                                     

29 March 2011

TO: ALL MEMBERS

Dear Brother/Sister

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended the demonstrations in London and Belfast on Saturday. We saw the biggest political demonstrations of recent years in a remarkable show of solidarity and determination. I am sure everyone will join me in thanking the very many people who were involved in organising the FBU participation at national and local level. We shall be producing more detailed reports for Firefighter and in video form. I have also posted a brief report on my blog on the FBU website.

The attendance from FBU members was fantastic. The London march saw the largest turnout from our union on an event not specifically organised by ourselves i.e. one organised by the trade union movement as a whole. Other people who attended have commented with praise on the size, discipline and organisation of the FBU section of the march. I am also aware that several large FBU delegations were unable to meet up with the main contingent due to travel difficulties and the sheer numbers of people on the streets.

We have also received comments of thanks from outside the FBU for our pipe band, from Humberside, who led the FBU section. They played what must have been their longest ever musical session to the great support of FBU marchers and many thousands of others.

I am aware that many other members were unable to attend due to work or other commitments. I am sure there will be other opportunities at local and national level very soon.

Thank you and well done to the members and their families who attended and marched. People came from all over the country – with many, very long journeys – to stand together and say: No to Cuts, No to austerity; Hands off our pensions!

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally

MATT WRACK

GENERAL SECRETARY                                                                                                                            

MW/sll 

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Fire Cuts Hit the North East Hard, says Fire Brigades Union

MEDIA RELEASE

120 North East firefighters are travelling to London on the 26th March after the Fire Brigades Union revealed that the North East region will be amongst the hardest hit by cuts to the fire and rescue service (FRS).

The FBU has discovered that the fire service in Cleveland, Durham & Darlington, Northumberland and Tyne & Wear face at least £6.6m cuts in the next year alone, among the worst hit in the country. Some 120 (the same size as the delegation to London) frontline firefighters’ jobs are earmarked to be cut in the same period – and 155 jobs in the four fire and rescue services overall, with much worse to come over the following four years!

But firefighters from the North East will not accept the cuts. They are joining thousands of others at the TUC demonstration in London.

“The reality is that despite being told by Central Government and some senior managers that ‘frontline’ services will remain unaffected, firefighters know the real situation. Funding reductions, which are due to get worse over the next four years, will inevitably reduce the number of firefighters and fire appliances, consequently emergency attendance times will increase; making life much more dangerous for firefighters and ultimately much less safe for communities in general. What we’re seeing this year is merely the tip of the iceberg; if these cuts go ahead the North East FRSs will be unrecognisable and certainly won’t reflect a modern effective FRS that taxpayers deserve – firefighting is at the frontline of the frontline, cuts such as these expose the lies of some politicians” Andy Noble – Executive Council Member FBU North East.“I and colleagues are going to London on March 26th to protest against the dogmatic attack on public services by this Tory led coalition. The effect that these savage cuts are having in Durham and Darlington FRS has resulted in the proposed loss of up to 40 uniformed frontline posts and 20 non uniformed jobs. This is a total turnaround from a government which stated “frontline emergency services would be protected”. Tony Curry – FBU Brigade Secretary Durham & Darlington.“Cleveland members are attending the demo as a result of 100 job losses (approx.) over the next 4 years, including 26 frontline firefighter posts, less people doing more work for no more pay, at the same time as a 3% pension’s increase and a proposed three year wage freeze. Also to highlight the issue of the Comprehensive Spending Review and funding arrangements for fire and rescue services, in which Cleveland is adversely affected because Industrial Risk is not recognised sufficiently! ” Dave Howe – FBU Brigade Chair Cleveland Fire & Rescue.“The T&W delegation is going to London to demonstrate the anger felt by firefighters along with other public sector workers at the vicious attack on Fire Service funding and the unprecedented attacks on frontline services along with the disgraceful attack on public sector pensions. T&W are losing up to 170 jobs and could lose four fire appliances as a result of being forced to make £13m cuts. These cuts will lead to a poorer service to the residents of T&W and will inevitably lead to an increased risk to Firefighter and public safety.” Dave Turner – FBU Brigade Secretary Tyne and Wear FRS.“In the previous two years Northumberland FRS has already been subjected to the loss of frontline posts and closure of fire stations. Further losses and the potential of a merger with Cumbria FRS would do absolutely nothing for public or firefighter safety. It’s imperative that we demonstrate our objections to the destruction of frontline services because despite pre-election promises, it would appear that these are now legitimate targets, even to the extent that the County Council are contemplating ‘Off-Loading’ Fire and Rescue provision to other bodies, which is not what Northumberland residents voted for at the last election”. Mandy Cregin – FBU Brigade Chair Northumberland FRS.***ENDS*** 

Contacts:

Andy Noble (Executive Council Member) 07827300065
Peter Wilcox (Regional Secretary) 07827300063
Dave Howe (Cleveland Brigade Chair) 07827300070
Tony Curry (Durham & Darlington Brigade Secretary) 07827300073
Mandy Cregin (Northumberland Brigade Chair) 07827300064
Dave Turner (Tyne & Wear Brigade Secretary) 07827300066

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Steve Godward: A Great Victory For All Of Us

CIRCULAR 2011HOC0142MW
22 March 2011
TO:         ALL MEMBERS 

Dear Brother/ Sister

One of the longest running miscarriages of justice in Fire Service history has finally been resolved. West Midlands member, Brother Steve Godward, has finally won full reinstatement, back pay and full pension rights from the West Midlands Fire Service.

Steve was suspended from duty on 13 November 2002 following allegations relating to the strike which was due to start that evening as part of the Union’s pay campaign. In December 2002, Steve was dismissed following a disciplinary hearing and an appeal to the Fire Authority was unsuccessful.

However, Steve’s case was heard under the 1985 Discipline Regulations (abolished in 2004) and these allowed a further appeal to the Secretary of State. Steve’s was the last appeal heard under the old regulations. In 2004, John Prescott, the Minister considering the case, upheld Steve’s appeal and ordered reinstatement.

Disgracefully, rather than accepting the decision and reinstating Steve, the West Midlands Fire Service launched a Judicial Review of the appeal decision. They also refused to reinstate Steve as was required under the processes in the Discipline Regulations.

This process resulted in a further delay and an agreement by the Government’s Treasury solicitor to reconsider the appeal, although this was outside the Regulations. When this further appeal was eventually considered, Steve was again successful as Fire Minister Jim Fitzpatrick again ordered reinstatement. Yet again, West Midlands Fire Service refused to comply despite numerous attempts to negotiate with them by officials of the Union.

It is therefore a huge relief to Steve and his family that the employer has finally agreed that employment has indeed been continuous since 2002. Full back pay and pension rights have been restored and Steve is now able to move on with his life. This is a remarkable result after such a long and difficult political and legal campaign.

Throughout this period the FBU has represented and supported Brother Godward on the basis that the Union always believed he had been victimised as a result of his trade union activities. I am sure all FBU members will now join me in wishing Steve and his family best wishes for the future.

Those in the upper echelons of the West Midlands Fire Service, who deliberately flouted recognised procedures (disciplinary rules established under statute) have brought shame on themselves and have undermined any belief in ‘fair treatment’ in the Fire Service. They have wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money on useless and ill-considered legal processes and they have clearly and deliberately victimised an employee for more than eight years. 

At the end of it all, they have completely failed. This is a victory for Brother Godward, for the FBU and for justice.

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally

MATT WRACK
GENERAL SECRETARY
MW/sll

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Suffolk Fire Cuts – Public Safety At Risk

MEDIA RELEASE

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) today highlights another cut to Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service which is putting lives at risk.

Prevention is better than the cure, and that is why fire safety legislation has been written to prevent the repeat of such disasters as the Bradford City fire which claimed 56 lives.

Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service has a Fire Safety Department that supports those managing businesses and public buildings to comply with the regulations and to protect the public from fire disasters.

But Suffolk County Council’s proposals this year will mean fire safety inspections to premises such as workplaces, schools, hospitals, care homes, hotels and public buildings are estimated to be cut by a third.

Andy Message, Acting Brigade Secretary….“Fewer inspections will mean more chance of dangerous breaches of Fire Safety Regulations putting the public at risk and will mean less chance of those ignorant or unscrupulous owners getting found out or prosecuted for offences such as locking fire exits and blocking escape routes.”

Currently Suffolk’s professional Fire Safety Officers conduct around 1,500 inspections a year, follow up complaints made by the public and advise on plans for new buildings.

Andy Vingoe, Brigade Chair…. “The Fire Safety Department provide vital support for owners and managers of premises.  This cut will mean Suffolk County Council has less resilience in helping people stop fires in the first place at the same time as they are cutting the frontline resources to respond to 999 fire calls. This is a recipe for disaster.”

Suffolk County Council is currently asking for public comment on these proposals, and others. Go to www.suffolk.gov.uk/IRMP and make your feelings known, or find the FBU Facebook page ‘Stop Suffolk Fire Cuts’.

Firefighters from Felixstowe will be talking to members of the public in the town this Saturday, asking them to have their say on this cut, and other cuts across Suffolk, in particular the slowing down of response times in Felixstowe.

***ENDS***

Contact:

Andy Message 07967 040909
Andy Vingoe 07967 041039

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The Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack today appealed to the Prime Minister to ban a company which has a contract with the UAE military from working for the London and Lincolnshire fire brigades.

MEDIA RELEASE

Dear Prime Minister

Given your proper concern to see democracy triumph throughout the Middle East, you should be made aware that AssetCo, the company which owns and maintains the fire engines in London and Lincolnshire, also has a contract with the military in the United Arab Emirates, whose forces are now assisting the ruling family to suppress pro-democracy protests in Bahrain.

The clampdown in Bahrain has resulted in a significant number of protestors being killed. The clampdown, including martial law, is supported by armed forces from Saudi Arabia and from the UAE.

You may be aware that AssetCo is now in serious financial difficulty and may be wound up today.  I therefore have two requests to make to you.

If AssetCo continues in business, I hope you will make it clear that it is not acceptable for them to take British public money, and also to assist the armed forces of the UAE.

And whether or not AssetCo is wound up, I hope you will insist that any company which takes on such work in future, does not also undertake work for military clients involved in the suppression of democracy.

May I remind you that, in 1963, fire hoses were turned on school age civil rights demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama. Ever since that deeply alarming moment, fire services have sought to maintain an independent role as a result of their humanitarian responsibilities. We now have a UK firm providing an essential aspect of our emergency service which has close commercial links to a brutal and anti-democratic military. All the talk from politicians about support for democracy in the Arab world is so much hypocrisy if they allow UK public services to operate in this manner. AssetCo and its directors clearly have no regard for the humanitarian role of our service, and are only in it for profit.   

Yours sincerely

Matt Wrack, General Secretary

***ENDS***

For further information please contact:- Francis Beckett      020 8349 9194 /07813 001372

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Part-Time Workers Settlement – Agreement Reached

CIRCULAR 2011HOC0140AD
21 March 2011
TO:         ALL RETAINED MEMBERS
cc:           ALL WHOLETIME MEMBERSDear Brother/ Sister

Agreement has now been reached on the changes to the NJC Conditions of Service (Grey Book) to implement the successful FBU legal case to ensure that all retained firefighters are recognised and rewarded as part-time workers. 

 The terms of the settlement also includes a financial award to all “eligible employees”.

A copy of the relevant NJC circulars, are attached to this circular. (NJC 3 and NJC 4)

At this stage, Fire and Rescue Authorities are carrying out a data collection process in order to calculate the payment for each eligible person. Further details on the arrangements for receiving the financial award will follow shortly.

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally

ANDY DARK
ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY
AD/sll

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Fire Crews Across East Anglia to Demonstrate Against 10% Cut in Frontline Firefighters

MEDIA RELEASE

On Saturday 26^th March firefighters from across East Anglia will be descending upon London to attend the mass march and rally organised by the TUC to demonstrate their growing anger at the government’s slash, burn and privatisation strategy which – despite their pre-election promises – is resulting in disastrous cuts to vital frontline services.

Plans already declared by fire and rescue services across East Anglia show cuts of at least 250 full time firefighters – that’s more than a 10% cut at the heart of the frontline 999 service.

At the same time, the contracts of retained firefighters (on-call in the community) are being squeezed; 999 response standards reduced and corners being cut to try and mask the real affects on frontline emergency services.

FBU regional secretary Adrian Clarke said: “Firefighters are drawn to the service with an overwhelming desire to help others and will during their careers face dangers and see indescribable horrors.  We have always felt valued for the service we provide, however there is growing anger as firefighters see the real effects of government funding cuts putting their safety and the safety of the public at risk. And to rub salt into the wounds, we see bankers enjoying their massive bonuses whilst those risking their lives on the frontline of our life-saving service are suffering a painful pay-freeze, hikes in our pension contributions and attacks on the pensions we will receive.

“Firefighters and their families are also suffering like all other ordinary working people in both the private and public sector, who rely on the  public services for our health, education and social care needs. We are joining all those ordinary working people who are quite rightly saying enough is enough – there is an alternative.

“As a direct consequence of the cuts, the fire and rescue service is under the most serious attack in living memory.  The cuts arising from the Comprehensive Spending Review threaten to do dangerous and lasting damage to the frontline fire and rescue service across the region.  There will be fewer fire engines to respond to emergency incidents and less fire officers available to provide incident command, compromising firefighter safety.  There are already fewer firefighters at fire stations and on fire engines, inevitably increasing the occasions firefighters will face the moral dilemma to put themselves at risk in a life-saving emergency when they should normally wait for enough firefighters and equipment to arrive.  Reductions in crew numbers have already led to specialist rescue and high-reach vehicles sitting idly on fire stations when 999 emergency calls come in because there are no firefighters left to crew them. 

“Despite abolishing the diabolical and expensive Regional Fire Control Project plans have already been announced to close the emergency fire control room in Suffolk with the loss of 23 professional fire control jobs and losing the local link between the fire officer en-route and the emergency caller on the line. Years of local knowledge will be lost.

 “These frontline cuts mean a more dangerous job for firefighters and a worse emergency service for the public.” 

***ENDS***

CONTACT:   

Regional Secretary, Adrian Clark 07917 017713
Bedfordshire, Lee Moon 07709 310697
Cambridgeshire, Kevin Napier 07824 438858
Essex, Mick Rogers 07967 023709
Hertfordshire, Tony Smith 07967 040905
Norfolk, Jamie Wyatt 07825 327331
Suffolk, Andy Message 07967 040909

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Further Details on the Hutton Review on Pensions

CIRCULAR 2011HOC0139MW
21 March 2011
TO:         ALL MEMBERS 

Dear Brother/ Sister

Members will be aware that the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission: Final Report was published and made available from 10^th March 2011.  Head Office circular 2011HOC0117MW was issued later the same day, outlining the main concerns for FBU members and informing them that a more detailed assessment of the full Hutton report would be taking place. 

We have been looking at the report in more detail and can now give a clearer overview of what the proposals, if accepted by Government, could mean.

Members should recognise that, in the document, Hutton makes the assumption that the Government has already accepted that Consumer Prices Index (CPI) will be used as the measure of inflation instead of Retail Price Index (RPI) as well as the fact that there will be an imminent rise in employee contributions of an average of 3% across public sector pensions and also that a discount rate review is underway. The FBU is already challenging the increase in employee contributions; the use of CPI for uprating; and has taken part in the consultation process around the discount rate.

The Hutton report focuses on 27 separate recommendations to Government which impact on all public sector pension schemes including the three firefighter pension schemes. 

Within these recommendations is a proposal that all existing public service pension scheme members are moved, as soon as possible and within this term of Parliament, into new schemes that adhere to a common framework. It does not recommend a single public sector pension scheme but that different schemes should continue to apply for different groups of workers. It recommends that the Local Government Pension Scheme remains as a fully funded scheme and that all schemes must be based on the common framework.

This recommended common framework for each scheme would be based upon the following; 

• that the Government should continue to provide defined benefit pension schemes as the core design, 
• that final salary pension schemes are replaced by career average re-valued schemes,
• that the normal pension age should in future be in line with the State Pension age i.e. is therefore increased where necessary to age 65 and that this link is maintained with the future proposed uplifting of the state pension age,
• the only exception to the above is that the normal pension age should be lower for the uniformed services and it is recommended that this should be set at age 60, where this normal retirement age is currently below this level,
• the introduction of tiered contribution rates to reflect the different characteristics for higher earners,
• that within each scheme framework there should be a fixed cost ceiling to limit the risk to employers and a default mechanism put in place to adjust scheme benefits or employee contribution rates so that they stay within the fixed cost ceiling should no agreement on this be reached.

The report does propose that all accrued benefits should be protected and suggests several examples whereby this could be achieved.

The report also has several recommendations, which focus upon the governance of the new schemes including the introduction of more independent oversight, more transparent data availability (including regular benefit statements without being requested) and more cooperation/collaboration between scheme administrations and funding boards.

It also suggests that every public pension scheme should have a properly constituted, trained and competent Pension Board, with member nominees, and be responsible for meeting good standards of governance including effective and efficient administration.

The final part of the report outlines that there will have to be amendments to legislation to cover issues including;

• scheme responsibility,
• regulatory framework,
• governance structures,
• protection of member benefits,
• transitional provisions.

The report outlines how all this change will be delivered and suggests that consultation should be centrally coordinated. However more detailed specific scheme by scheme consultation involving employees and their representatives will take place with a view to implementation by 2015.

Within the recommendations there are proposals designed to encourage more flexible retirements, which include staged retirement options, removing abatement entirely and amending or removing accrual limits. 

Although the report makes many recommendations, it still lacks vital details on areas of extreme importance. For example, it proposes to introduce career average schemes and remove accrual caps, but does not give any details on potential accrual rates which are currently set at 1/60ths in all three firefighter schemes (with double accrual, 2/60ths, after 20 years service in the FPS). Without this information it is impossible to show the full impact upon the firefighters pension schemes.

The Union has already started to look at potential cost implications for members from these proposals both for active and retired members and have used an independent actuary to provide some information. This information will show cost and benefit comparisons between using CPI and RPI for indexation and revaluing; changing from a final salary scheme to a career average scheme; the potential impact upon FPS commutation; and the additional costs should a 3% employee contribution levy be applied. Worked examples should be available very shortly but members must recognise that these are based upon the current accrual rates and changing future accrual rates could dramatically affect these figures.

The Hutton report is only the start of a concerted attack on public sector pensions and the wider implications are not yet known. The devil is in the detail and as yet these details are not available. The FBU will be fully involved in any consultations that result from this report but the first step is to attempt to convince Government not to accept these recommendations. You can be assured that the FBU will be raising our opposition to the attacks contained within this report and will be continuing to fight against detrimental changes to members’ pension schemes.

Members will be updated on the situation as it develops and this attack on pension schemes must be discussed at Branch meetings.

If you needed another reminder of why we are marching for the alternative on Saturday 26^th March 2011 the Hutton report is it.

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally

MATT WRACK
GENERAL SECRETARY
MW/sll

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Annual Conference 2011 – Proposed Alterations to the Rules of the Union Moved by the Executive Council

CIRCULAR: 2011HOC0136PW
17^th March 2011
TO: ALL MEMBERS
C.c  Annual Conference Delegates
         Standing Orders Committee

Dear Brother/Sister,

Further to Head Office circular 2011HOC0074PW, the Standing Orders Committee has received correspondence from the Executive Council notifying them that they have withdrawn the following Rules.

• Rule 22 (page 35)
• Rule 18 (1) (page 42)
• Rule 19 (3) (page 43)

If any Brigades submitted changes to these rules, then they fall.

Yours in unity,

PAUL WOOLSTENHOLMES
National Officer
Secretary to Standing Orders Committee
PW/JW

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