Essex Strike Action: Solidarity and Determination

CIRCULAR     2012HOC0360MW
29 June 2012
TO:             ALL MEMBERS – ESSEX (HOME ADDRESSES)
cc:              ALL MEMBERS

 

Dear Brother/Sister

On behalf of FBU members throughout the UK, I would like to congratulate our Essex members for the determined and united stand taken yesterday on the first day of strike action.  Together with various FBU members and officials from around the UK I was able to attend a number of picket lines to speak to members about the current dispute.

Despite a huge amount of misinformation and pressure from the principal management team, Essex members stood firm across the Service. I would particularly like to congratulate our members in Control for their determination and solidarity. RDS members at  a number of Essex fire stations maintained lively picket lines despite attempts by others to create division between wholetime and retained members. I would also like to pay tribute to those FBU Officers who demonstrated their loyalty to their colleagues and commitment to building a modern Fire Service which genuinely values the integrated contribution of all its uniformed professionals of all ranks, roles and duty systems.

Essex officials have asked me to pass on thanks to the various FBU members who travelled from other Brigades to demonstrate solidarity and to the many Branches around the country who phoned in and sent messages of support.

We look forward to exploratory talks through ACAS and to the fact that previous obstacles to the involvement of NJC Joint Secretaries appear to have been removed – although we still need to finalise these arrangements.

Nobody wants to see industrial action in the Fire Service, least of all FBU members who deliver the frontline of our service every single day. We therefore hope that the issues within the trade dispute can finally start to be addressed. However, we remain determined to take further action if necessary and to build for the lobby and demonstration in Chelmsford on 18 July.

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally

MATT WRACK
GENERAL SECRETARY

Essex fire crews – strike solid, retained crews set up picket lines, public support tremendous, ACAS confirms chief’s block on talks is lifted

MEDIA RELEASE

Essex fire crews have solidly supported an 8-hour strike today in opposition to frontline cuts and other changes forced through by service managers. Public support at pickets and other protests has been tremendous, with many donating money to the hardship fund.

Retained crews were at their stations to set up picket lines to show their support. Retained firefighters work ‘on call’ and would not normally be at the station unless they were being turned out to a 999 call. The union says today has demonstrated massive service-wide discontent at frontline cuts and imposed changes.

ACAS confirm fire service managers have now removed their blocks to further talks offered by ACAS. All parties have now accepted an ACAS invitation to attend exploratory talks next week.

Alan Chinn-Shaw, FBU brigade chair said: “There has been solid support for this strike and the public have been fantastic in their support. Retained crews made a point of setting up picket lines although there was no need to be in attendance at their stations at all.

“The blockages put in the way of getting the key fire service national negotiators involved in attempts to resolve this dispute have now been lifted. Their involvement has been vetoed by the chief officer for nearly three years.

“Exploratory talks called by ACAS will now take place next week. This is an important step in the right direction.

“This strike is about cuts and imposed changes. Essex fire service has the funds, these cuts and changes are not necessary.”

***ENDS***

Contact:

Adrian Clarke 07917 017713
Keith Handscomb 07730 435633
Mick Rogers (Brigade Secretary) – 07967 023709
Alan Chinn-Shaw (Brigade Chair – 07967 – 720363
Nick Mayes (Assistant Brigade Secretary) – 07917 065870
Derek Godfrey-Shaw – 07967 023706
Sue McGregor 07956 422073

Essex crews to commence strike, union accepts fresh offer from ACAS of further exploratory talks

MEDIA RELEASE

Essex fire crews starting an 8-hour strike in protest at cuts and imposed changes have accused their managers of being unwilling and unable to broker a deal. The union has accepted a fresh invitation from ACAS, made this afternoon, to start exploratory talks. No further details of that meeting are available and a date has still to be agreed.

Essex fire crews are taking strike action in a dispute over frontline cuts and changes forced through by fire chiefs. Current plans for cuts would see the loss of one in five frontline crews in Essex since 2008, with the public already waiting longer for fire crews to turn up to fires in the home.

Alan Chinn-Shaw, FBU Brigade chair said: “No one wants to go on strike, we have only done so in what is a third year of continuing cuts and imposition. Our managers refuse to address the key issues in the dispute and our last resort is to take short-term strike action.

“Our action is only for 8 hours. The cuts being planned will permanently impact on public and firefighter safety.

“The dispute centres on further damaging cuts and changes imposed on fire crews without agreement which impacts on them and the public. These include the way that fire crews are used which reduces the availability of key appliances and equipment.

“We have seen 160 frontline posts axed since 2008 and the current set of cuts would bring that loss to one in five frontline crews. It is already taking longer for appliances to get to home fires and cuts can only make that worse.

“The fire authority has the money as it has underspent its frontline staffing budget by over £1.6 million. It is also building up huge cash reserves – over £12 million – which are much higher than necessary.

“The claim that the fire authority has moved its position on the key issues in the dispute is not correct. There is no trimming back on the frontline cuts, these are going ahead as are further imposed changes.

“Chief officer Johnson has made clear that on the key points in dispute he will not move. The union has, however, accepted an invitation from ACAS of further exploratory talks.”

***ENDS***

Contact:

Adrian Clarke 07917 017713
Keith Handscomb 07730 435633
Mick Rogers (Brigade Secretary) – 07967 023709
Alan Chinn-Shaw (Brigade Chair – 07967 – 720363
Nick Mayes (Assistant Brigade Secretary) – 07917 065870
Derek Godfrey-Shaw – 07967 023706
Sue McGregor 07956 422073

Essex fire crews set to commence strike accuse managers of being hell-bent on confrontation by forcing through dangerous cuts

MEDIA RELEASE

Essex fire crews are set to start an 8-hour strike have accused their managers of being hellbent on confrontation and forcing through dangerous cuts in the frontline 999 service.. A short 8-hour strike starts tomorrow at 10.00 and ends at 18.00 to limit the impact on the public.

Essex fire crews are set to commence strike action in a dispute over frontline cuts and changes forced through without proper negotiation or agreement. The frontline cuts, left unchallenged, would hit public and firefighter safety 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

Current plans for cuts would see the loss of one in five frontline crews in Essex since 2008, with the public already waiting longer for fire crews to turn up to fires in the home.

FBU Brigade Chair, Alan Chinn-Shaw said: “No one wants to go on strike, we have only done so in what is a third year of continuing cuts and imposition. Our managers are unbending and unable to broker a deal and our last resort is to take strike action.

“The dispute centres on further damaging cuts and changes imposed on fire crews without agreement which impacts on public and firefighter safety. 160 frontline firefighters have been axed from fire stations since 2008 and the current set of cuts would bring the loss to one in five frontline crews.

“It is already taking longer for fire engines to get to home fires and cuts can only make that worse. The fire authority has the money as it has underspent its frontline staffing budget by over £1.6 million.

“It is also building up huge cash reserves – over £12 million – which are much higher than necessary.
Essex MP Eric Pickles has urged all councils to use their financial reserves to temper the impact of frontline cuts.

“Managers have obstructed the use of national fire service conciliators to try and resolve the dispute and have done so since 2009. The fire authority is signed up to that process but their managers have been refusing to follow it.

“The claim that the fire authority has moved on key issues in dispute is not correct. There is no trimming back on the frontline cuts, these are going ahead as are further imposed changes.

“Chief officer Johnson has made clear that the cuts and imposed changes already decided will still be pushed through and he will not move on this. That position leaves no room for compromise and undermines any talks which take place on that basis.

“We are trying to accommodate their desire to involve ACAS in assisting a resolution. We maintain an open dialogue with ACAS.”

***ENDS***

Contacts:

Duncan Milligan 07736 818100
Mick Rogers (Brigade Secretary) – 07967 023709
Alan Chinn-Shaw (Brigade Chair – 07967 – 720363
Nick Mayes (Assistant Brigade Secretary) – 07917 065870
Derek Godfrey-Shaw – 07967 023706

Essex fire strike – operational note for 28 June

MEDIA RELEASE

The Fire Brigades Union national and local officials will be in attendance near Brentwood fire station from 09.30 until 11.00. (Brentwood fire station, North Road, Brentwood, Essex CM14 4UZ). They are available for interview, including the union’s General Secretary Matt Wrack.

They will be returning at 12.30 – 14.00 and 16.30 – 19.00 and are also available for interviews.

Essex fire crews commence an 8-hour strike from 10.00 to 18.00 on Thursday 28 June.

If you would like to arrange an interview with Matt Wrack please contact:

Duncan Milligan 07736 818100 or duncan.milligan@fbu.org.uk

For all other requests please contact:

Mick Rogers (Brigade Secretary) – 07967 023709
Alan Chinn-Shaw (Brigade Chair – 07967 – 720363
Nick Mayes (Assistant Brigade Secretary) – 07917 065870
Derek Godfrey-Shaw – 07967 023706
Adrian Clarke 07917 017713
Keith Handscomb 07730 435633

Essex fire talks – ACAS maintains open dialogue

MEDIA RELEASE

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) met with Essex fire service managers this morning and then separately with the Fire Brigades Union in the afternoon. No agreed way forward has been identified and both sides are reflecting on the content of the meetings

ACAS is maintaining an open dialogue with both sides.

The cuts and imposed changes in dispute continue to be implemented and the lawful strike action will go ahead accordingly, starting on Thursday 28 June.

Neither side has ruled-out the possibility of future meetings with ACAS.

Due to the confidential and sensitive nature of the meetings and the conciliation service that ACAS can provide, it would be inappropriate to make any additional comment about the discussions had with ACAS today.

***ENDS***

Contacts:

Adrian Clarke 07917 017713
Keith Handscomb 07730 435633

Essex Dispute: Strike Dates

CIRCULAR:    2012HOC0352MW
26 June 2012
TO:    ALL MEMBERS

Dear Brother/Sister

FBU members is Essex are in dispute with their employer over cuts to the Service, the imposition of change without agreement and the failure to apply national procedures for dealing with disagreements. As a result of this, our members in Essex were balloted for strike action and voted two to one to support such action.

The first strike dates have now been set as follows:

• Commencing 28^th June 2012 at 10:00 hrs until 28^th June 2012 at 18:00 hrs
• Commencing 7^th July 2012 at 04:00 hrs until 7^th July 2012 at 05:00 hrs
• Commencing 18^th July 2012 at 09:00 hrs until 19^th July 2012 at 09:00 hrs
• Commencing 18^th August 2012 at 17:00 hrs until 18^th August 2012 at 19:00 hrs
• Commencing 18^th October 2012 at 11:00 hrs until 18^th October 2012 at 16:00 hrs

Further information on the issues involved and on how you can support Essex members will be issued shortly.

There is also a call for a demonstration to coincide with the third strike date of 18 July and again further details of that will be issued when available.

With best wishes.

Yours fraternally

MATT WRACK
GENERAL SECRETARY
MW/sll

Essex fire crews dispute – meetings with ACAS

MEDIA RELEASE

A team from the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) is in Essex on Monday 25 June. The team will first meet with senior fire service managers.

This team will then move on to a separate location to meet with representatives of the Fire Brigades Union and any developments will be reviewed.

Moves to resolve the Essex dispute have been frustrated by buck passing between the fire service, represented by senior managers, and the fire authority represented by councillors. It is the fire authority which is the employer of Essex fire crews and they have the legal responsibilities which go with that.

The Fire Brigades Union has been unable to get fire service managers and the fire authority employers in the same room at the same time to meet the union. Fire service managers regularly tell the union they cannot make a deal because, on some key issues, they do not have the power to do so.

The chief officer has confirmed that councillors and the national fire service conciliators are still blocked from attending talks proposed by the union. He has also made plain that the frontline cuts and impositions in dispute will continue regardless of any talks.

Adrian Clarke, FBU regional secretary said: “There are separate meetings with ACAS on Monday and we will review any developments or progress. But it has been confirmed to us that top fire authority councillors and national fire service conciliators continue to be barred from attending.

“The key to resolving the dispute is getting the right people in the room at the same time. The only way of breaking the stalemate is to ensure those doing the negotiations have the power to broker a deal.

“The cuts and impositions continue while the fire authority only offers talks with managers without the powers to make a deal. It is little wonder that Essex fire crews are deeply angry and frustrated at the lack of progress.

“Essex fire authority is signed up to a process that encourages the use of national fire service conciliators, some of whom represent the authority as employers. Essex fire service managers, who are not the employers, remain determined to work outside this agreed process.

“Essex firefighters do not relish strike action. But our attempts to broker an agreement or get talks with the key parties who have the power to reach a deal have been confounded.”

***ENDS***

Contacts:

Adrian Clarke 07917 017713
Keith Handscomb 07730 435633

Hacking charge against Rebekah Brooks welcome, FBU says

MEDIA RELEASE

The Fire Brigades Union today welcomed the announcement by the Crown Prosecution Service that it will charge Rebekah Brooks and other former News of the World employees with offences relating to the phone hacking of the union’s former general secretary.

The charges relate to the alleged unlawful intercept of Andy Gilchrist’s voicemail messages between December 2002 and January 2003 at the height of the FBU’s pay dispute.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary said: “I welcome the CPS decision to charge Rebekah Brooks, Glenn Mulcaire and Greg Miskiw with offences based on allegations of hacking my predecessor Andy Gilchrist’s phone.

“Andy Gilchrist led the FBU in a lawful trade dispute over firefighters’ pay. Whatever the position in relation to these charges, he was subjected to vitriolic attacks and the invasion of his privacy during that dispute.

“The News of the World made it clear throughout the strikes that they intended to damage the firefighters’ campaign and to undermine Andy Gilchrist as part of that assault.”

***ENDS***

Further information:

Francis Beckett 0208 349 9194 / 07813 001372

The Proposed New Local Government Pension Scheme for England and Wales

CIRCULAR:  2012HOC0348MW
22^nd June 2012
TO: ALL CONTROL MEMBERS [Home Addresses]Dear Brother/Sister,

Following the conclusion of negotiations between GMB, Unison, Unite and the Local Government Association (LGA), the FBU were presented with the proposals for the new Local Government Pension Scheme for England and Wales.

These proposals, including the benefit and contribution structure for the LGPS, will need to be discussed with members involved before the union can give its position to a Trade Union side meeting.

The proposals contained in this document replace the previous government proposals and outline a new scheme, LGPS 2014.  This is due to start on 1^st April 2014 and apply to all service that is accrued from that point.

Unlike the position proposed in other public sector schemes, including the firefighters’ schemes, there will not be any changes to benefits or contribution rates before that date.The key points of the proposal are highlighted below:

a)    The LGPS 2014 will be a defined benefit career average scheme with a 1/49^th accrual.
b)    Previous service earnings will be revalued by CPI.
c)    All accrued pension (pension built up before and up to 1^st April 2014) will retain the link to final salary and current normal pension age.
d)     Most members will pay the same contributions in the new scheme as they do now. This is covered in more detail later in this document.
e)    The normal pension age will reflect the state pension age and an individual member will have an individual normal pension age in the LGPS 2014 that matches their individual state pension age.
f)     Any future outsourced members who are outsourced from direct local government employment will be able to stay in the LGPS.
g)    Members who cannot afford to participate in the main scheme can opt for a 50/50 option. This would mean paying half their contribution rate and building up half as much pension as in the main LGPS 2014 while still being covered by full death in service, ill health cover and survivor benefits.
h)    All other benefits stay the same as now.

Member Contributions

In LGPS 2014, contributions will be set on the basis of actual pensionable pay which, for the first time, will include non-contractual overtime.

This is different to earlier proposals and means that part timers will not have to work out their full or whole time equivalent earnings, both contributions and benefits will be based on actual pay.

The proposed changes to the contribution bands are shown in the table below.

Actual Annual Pay	Gross Contribution (2014 scheme )	Contribution After Tax Relief (2014 scheme)
Less than £13,501	5.5%	4.40%
£13,501 – £21,000	5.8%	4.64%
£21,001 – £34,000	6.5%	5.20%
£34,001 – £43,000	6.8%	5.44%
£43,001 – £60,000	8.5%	5.10%
£60,001 – £85,000	9.9%	5.94%
£85,001 – £100,000	10.5%	6.30%
£100,001 – £150,000	11.4%	6.84%
More than £150,000	12.5%	6.88%

Current LGPS	Gross Contribution
Up to £13,500	5.5%
£13,501 – £15,800	5.8%
£15,801 – £20,400	5.9%
£20,401 – £34,000	6.5%
£34,001 – £45,500	6.8%
£45,501 – £85,300	7.2%
Over £85,300	7.5%

Scheme Benefits in brief

There are a number of changes to the proposed benefit structure in the LGPS 2014.

The accrual rate is 1/49^th compared to the 1/60^th in the current LGPS. This has been achieved by reducing the revaluation rate for previous earnings to flat rate CPI.

The pension age for service in the LGPS 2014 (excluding any past service before 2014) will be linked to the state pension at that time.

This will mean that older members may still have an NPA of 65 while for younger members it could be 66, 67 or 68.

In the event that state pension age increases further, the LGPS 2014 pension age will also increase for all service after 1^st April 2012.

A more detailed report on the proposal can be found on the LGPS 2014 website at http://www.lgps.org.uk/

The table below outlines a comparison of the current 2008 scheme and the proposed 2014 scheme.

Element	LGPS 2008	LGPS 2014
Structure	Defined benefit	Defined benefit
Basis of Pension	Final Salary	Career average revalued by inflation
Accrual Rate	1/60th	1/49th
Revaluation Rate	Not applicable, pension linked to salary on retirement	CPI
Contribution Flexibility	No	Yes, members can pay 50% contributions for 50% of the pension benefit
Pension Age	65	Equal to the member’s individual state pension age (minimum 65)
Lump Sum Trade Off	£1 of pension for £12 lump sum	£1 of pension for £12 lump sum
Death in Service	3 x pay	3 x pay
Survivor Benefits	1/160th accrual based on Tier 1 ill health pension enhancement	1/160th accrual based on Tier 1 ill health pension enhancement
Ill Health Provision	Tier 1 – immediate payment with service enhanced to 65 Tier 2 – immediate payment of pension with 25% service enhancement to 65 Tier 3 – temporary payment of pension for up to 3 years	Tier 1 – immediate payment with service enhanced to pension age Tier 2 – immediate payment of pension with 25% service enhancement to pension age Tier 3 – temporary payment of pension for up to 3 years
Indexation of Pension in Payment	CPI	CPI
Vesting Period*	3 months	2 years

*Vesting period – is the timeframe in which members can get a refund on their contributions if they leave instead of having a very small pension tied up in the scheme until their retirement.

Protection arrangementsThere are several different elements of protections that will apply; some affect all members while others are targeted at specific groups.

Accrued service – all pension built up before 1^st April 2014 will be calculated on the basis of your final pay on retirement and will be accessible at your current normal pension age
Rule of 85 – members who currently qualify for Rule of 85 protections will continue to have that protection in the LGPS 2014.

If you are aged 57-59 when the new scheme starts, your pension on retirement will be calculated using both LGPS 2008 and LGPS 2014 scheme rules and you will get whichever calculation is better.  This is to reflect protection for those closest to retirement that would otherwise be affected by a new pension age and is a general feature of the new public sector pension schemes.

If any members are compulsorily transferred out of LGPS employment they will be able to stay in the LGPS instead of being transferred to a new employer’s broadly comparable pension scheme (currently this is up to the new employer).

Next StepsThere will now be a full consultation of affected members to determine their views. Please ensure you attend your meeting and have your say.

Members will receive more information on the proposals as it become available and we will be discussing this further with the CSNC and other affected unions, who will also be consulting their LGPS members.

Yours fraternally,

MATT WRACK
General Secretary
SS/EMH

Next Page »