Firefighters should have the right to organise together and democratically take decisions, including to strike. Taking industrial action, with the option of removing labour, is an important way we can protect our pay, conditions and vital health and safety measures. This includes measures which help keep the public safe.
Indeed, given it is a direct way of challenging employer decisions it is one of the most important tools we have.
Under attack
In his latest State of Fire report chief inspector of fire and rescue services Sir Thomas Winsor said that there should be “a consideration of the removal of the right of firefighters to strike”. This constitutes an attack on firefighters’ right to strike from a powerful establishment voice.
We know that the right to strike is an important right that helps protect public safety, amongst other things. It helps us try to defend the fire and rescue service against changes that will damage the public, like when we went on strike in Surrey in response to the Integrated Risk Management Plan there, which proposed swathes of firefighter, fire engine and fire station cover cuts. Since those changes did unfortunately go through after industrial action was halted by Covid, we have seen events including an elderly man losing his life when engines took 13 minutes to reach him – with a nearby fire station recently closed at night.
The alternative – not having the right to strike – means losing our most effective way of standing up to changes like this. It means simply trusting the government and employers to get it right. We know we can’t do that.
So we know it’s important. But if there were any evidence behind the statement in this new report we would be prepared to at least consider and respond to it appropriately. This, however, is not the case. In the words of FBU general secretary Matt Wrack: “These conclusions have been reached without being based on evidence and rather appear to reflect the personal and political views of the author of the report.”
Winsor’s background is an anti-worker one. He has been involved in attacks on police pay and conditions, such as a recommendation to cut starting salaries for some constables from £23,500 to £19,000. He has backed public services being run for profit, not the public.
A political attack
In a letter to Winsor, Wrack said: “The union is dismayed by this political attack, which seems designed to silence the voice of firefighters and would do nothing to protect the public. It is not clear how removing firefighter’s rights to democratically organise would help keep the public safer– in fact, having a fair structure where employers and employees can come together to work through issues, helps protect public safety.
“If Sir Tom Winsor was serious about improving the fire and rescue service he might suggest putting back some of the one in every five firefighters which have been cut since 2010.”
