Dear Brother/Sister
ATTACKS ON FIREFIGHTERS – FBU REPORT
You will have seen the media coverage early this week about the launch of the new report on Attacks on Fire Crews. This report  – Easy Targets – has been researched by the Labour Research Department for the Fire Brigades Union. Once again, it has been demonstrated that it appears to be only the FBU which is taking this issue seriously on a UK-wide level. While certain individual Fire and Rescue Services have introduced useful measures to try to address this matter, there remains widespread lack of concern at senior levels within the Service. This perhaps reflects the fact that the Government has failed to address the issue and appear to be unable to maintain accurate statistics.
It is extremely unusual for a trade union to receive headline news coverage on an issue which does not involve industrial action and I am sure all members will be pleased with the level of coverage given to this important issue.
Thanks must go to the various FBU members who made themselves available to give first hand accounts to the media about the scale of attacks. Thanks must also go to all the FBU Officials around the UK who assisted by providing interviews and assistance to journalists. The success of this launch would not have been possible without our Research and Communications Officer, Duncan Milligan.
It is only the Fire Brigades Union which has been able to conduct such a high level of research on this issue, demonstrating once again that the FBU is the professional voice for all Firefighters at all levels within the Service.
The report will be arriving at Branches over the next few days. Brigade Health and Safety Officials will be raising the issues within the report within each Authority. We shall also be raising the matter again at national level to pressure employers to adopt best practice policies in relation to the issues we have identified.
Best wishes.
Yours fraternally
MATT WRACK
GENERAL SECRETARY
MW/sll |
