Berkshire Circular: Contingency Contract letter – Wholetime update

BERKSHIRE CIRCULAR
August 2011

Dear FBU member,

In informal discussions with your FBU brigade officials, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) announced its intention to write to all operational staff. It intends to issue a letter that may request that you indicate your availability to work during certain events affecting brigade resilience, such as industrial action. However, it is possible that the request may not specifically mention industrial action, but will instead be shrouded in other terminology, such as asking for your willingness to respond to civil contingencies like spate conditions or pandemic flu. Please be aware that you are under no obligation to respond to this letter and that if you do respond in the affirmative, you may be entering into a legally-binding contract with RBFRS.

It is likely that the letter will state that RBFRS is looking to ensure its business continuity and that the Fire Authority is seeking to comply with its statutory obligations. The FBU fully supports contingency planning for emergency incidents, such as large-scale flooding or terrorist attacks, and has actively campaigned for increased resources to respond to these incidents. However, apart from its general obligation to provide a fire and rescue service, it should be noted that RBFRS is under no statutory obligation to devise business continuity plans specifically for industrial action.

At present the FBU has not seen the letter that RBFRS may send to its staff. Nevertheless, your union believes that the letter will inevitably lack sufficient information to allow you to make an informed decision. We would advise you to read all FBU literature on the issue and to attend branch meetings to discuss the matter with your fellow members and representatives. It is important to recognize that by entering into a contingency contract you may be agreeing to work during an industrial dispute. The FBU would expect ALL members to abide by any democratic ballot for industrial action. Please be assured that such a ballot would only occur following a complete breakdown of communication between RBFRS and the FBU or due to irreconcilable differences over a specific issue.

Your union is concerned that if RBFRS does issue the letter, it will subject FBU members to an unacceptable, unnecessary and unjustified amount of direct organizational pressure. There is also the danger that, in presenting the letter to its employees, RBFRS will seek to undermine the ability of your FBU brigade officials to negotiate a satisfactory outcome on your behalf. Indeed, the letter and subsequent continuity plan may perversely make industrial action more likely. We would stress that the FBU will always strive to reach a negotiated settlement with RBFRS, but believe that such a letter will hinder that process in the event of industrial unrest.

The Fire Brigades Union would remind members that you are under no obligation to respond to the proposed RBFRS letter.

The Fire Brigades Union has campaigned actively on your behalf, both nationally and locally, and can only continue to do so with your support.

Nationally, the union is fighting hard to win a decent pay settlement for you and was dismayed that that the national employers decided to freeze your pay ahead of other public sector workers. Even if we receive a pay rise next year, it is likely to be less than the rate of inflation. Effectively, you will have received a hefty pay cut in real terms over a three year period. The FBU is also making a legal challenge to protect your pension – it is taking the Government to court over its decision to change the way it uprates your pension, which will see your benefits reduce by as much as 15% over the life of the scheme. Your pension is your deferred wages, so this alteration by the Government is another way that your pay has been cut. The Government is also proposing to replace your scheme with one based on increased contributions and a later retirement age, with career-average defined benefits at the end of it – put simply, pay more, work longer, get less. Your union will need your support if it is to protect your pay and pension.

Locally, we have seen and fought hard against the cuts to the service that we deliver to the public. Do you think we provide as good a service as we did ten, even five, years ago? It is important to emphasize to your family and friends, and to members of the general public, that the FBU is actively campaigning for their better protection in the future. In recent years we have seen the Fire Authority –

• Agree to a reduction in the number of Officers
• Look into the provision of Brigade Control, with its potential relocation outside of Berkshire
• Close Cookham fire station
• Agree to the closure of Windsor fire station at night
• Agree to the removal of the London Fringe Allowance (i.e. London weighting – more money out of the pockets of our members!)
• Agree to the switch-crewing of the HRU, with its accompanying loss of 12 fire-fighter posts, possible relocation to Reading and potential loss of Slough’s RSV

In addition, we are seeing a dilution of fire-cover through an increased rate of standby moves and the application of the Low Risks Incidents Policy. The latter policy can only be seen as a thinly-veiled attack on our Retained members, and the effect of all these attacks is to play one group off against another. Your brigade officials have campaigned actively against every single one of the above. They have also been involved in numerous consultations and negotiations on brigade policy on your behalf, such as sickness and absence management, discipline procedure and TOIL. They need your support to stave off future attacks on your service and local terms and conditions. If you have not done so already, the FBU is urging you to become active and stay active. Let your brigade officials know how the brigade’s management is affecting you. Come to FBU meetings. Attend its lobbies. We are a Union and are only strong if we stay United. Please bear this in mind if RBFRS sends you its proposed letter.

The Fire Brigades Union would remind members that you are under no obligation to respond to the proposed RBFRS letter.

Yours in unity,

Mark Stollery (Brigade Secretary)             

Maurice Whyte (Brigade Chair) 

Paul Watts (Brigade Organiser)