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Dear Brother/Sister
Delegates to FBU Conference discussed the Government's proposals for firefighter pensions as part of a debate around the Executive Council's Emergency Resolution (attached).
This Resolution outlines the Union's key concerns which have still not been addressed.
Delegates unanimously agreed that the Executive Council should issue a revised lawful trade dispute demanding that Government ministers address the seven points outlined in the Resolution.
The FBU will be seeking a positive response to the issues raised in the trade dispute within 14 days.
Delegates recognised the current position of the pension campaign and unanimously gave authorisation to the Executive Council to commence a ballot for strike action.
Members will be receiving much more information in various forms over the next week or two and meetings will be scheduled to provide the most up-to-date position.
Please ensure you attend your meeting and that you are completely up to speed with the position.
Best wishes.
Yours fraternally
Matt Wrack
General Secretary
Emergency Resolution 3
Pensions
Conference congratulates FBU members for their determination in campaigning for decent pensions. Conference notes that despite numerous assurances, neither the Westminster government nor the relevant ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have addressed the concerns of firefighters in relation to pension arrangements. This was clearly confirmed when employee pension contributions were again increased in all parts of the UK from April 2013.
For more than two years the FBU has presented a detailed and professional case for pension arrangements which take account of the needs of firefighters and of an effective fire and rescue service. This has included evidence on matters of fitness and fitness standards; occupational health and safety; and on the affordability and sustainability of fire and rescue service schemes. At no point during discussions has any other party been able to challenge, answer or rebut the case we have made.
he FBU has made the case that a firefighters' pension scheme, as an occupational scheme, must take account of the specific needs and demands of the occupation. Since firefighting is a physically demanding and hazardous occupation, the pension scheme must take account of this. The current arrangements proposed do not do so.
Conference notes that the currently proposed arrangements will lead to:
- Large numbers of firefighters facing the prospect of working longer and therefore facing the threat of capability dismissal as they age and as fitness levels decline with age. At that point significant numbers would face the prospect of no job and no pension.
- Increasing numbers of firefighters being unable to afford their pension scheme because of the high rates of employee contribution imposed.
- A threat to the sustainability of the 2015 pension scheme due to the imposition of an unrealistic cost ceiling which does not take account of the specific occupational needs of a fire and rescue service scheme.
- A significant worsening of the contribution ratio between employee and employer which unduly penalises firefighters.
- The undermining of the pension benefits of thousands of FBU members due to inadequate protection arrangements.
- A commutation rate which financially penalises firefighters because it does not in any way reflect the value of pension surrendered in the proposed firefighters' pension scheme (2015).
Conference notes that the FBU has attempted at every stage to discuss these concerns with Ministers. Discussions continued over the weekend of 11 and 12 May 2013 which resulted in further clarification being available to the Executive Council for the meeting scheduled for 13 May 2013. However the proposals currently remain unfair, unaffordable, unsustainable and unworkable. They therefore remain unacceptable.
Conference does not accept a normal pension age (NPA) of 60 for firefighters. The FBU has fought a principled, evidence based campaign against its introduction. However, the Public Service Pensions Act is now in place. That does not mean that we will drop our opposition to the Act or accept that it is appropriate or safe to require our members to work to age 60. We will continue to campaign for the repeal of the Act as we are entitled to do and we will continue to make the case for a lower NPA. We will also campaign to ensure the effects of this legislation are reduced as far as possible.
In view of this, Conference instructs the Executive Council to immediately issue revised lawful trade disputes demanding that Government Ministers address the following:
- No further employee contribution increases
- An improved contribution ratio between employee and employer
- Improved protection arrangements for current scheme members
- Amendments to the scheme which remove the threat of: No Job and No Pension
- Flexible retirement from age 55 ' with any pension adjustment arrangements agreed by the FBU
- Improved commutation (lump sum) arrangements which adequately reflect the value of pension surrendered
- A realistic cost ceiling which ensures that there are no reductions in member benefits.
Conference instructs the Executive Council to seek a positive response from Ministers to these concerns within 14 days.
Conference agrees that the FBU should remain ready to engage in genuine negotiations around the concerns we have raised and are willing to meet Ministers at any point with the aim of achieving improvements. Conference believes that as far as possible FBU members should have the same pension arrangements in all parts of the UK. Therefore, in order to ensure consistency and continuity, all negotiations will be led by the General Secretary and shall be reported at each stage to the Executive Council. This includes any discussion within any part of the UK.
In view of the position outlined above, Conference authorises the Executive Council to commence a ballot for strike action.
Executive Council
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