Dear Brother/Sister
Pay 2022 – Preparations for Ballot
You will be aware that on 27 June the union received a 2% pay offer from the fire service employers. The Executive Council saw this offer as an insult to Firefighters and Firefighters (Control) after 12 years of government-imposed austerity and pay policy which has led to falling real wages. Furthermore, the offer was utterly inadequate in the face of the emerging cost of living crisis when FBU members are increasingly struggling to make ends meet.
Following a period of national consultation with members, this offer was rejected unanimously by the Executive Council on 18 July and the result relayed to fire service employers on the same day. Despite this outcome, I regret to inform you that the FBU has not received any improved proposal from the fire service employers.
Firefighters and Firefighters (Control) have been treated with utter contempt by our employers (and by central government) and anger at this was reflected in the decision of FBU members to reject the employers’ pay proposal.
Therefore, at their meeting on 2 September the Executive Council decided that there is no other option than to now put in place preparations for a ballot of members for strike action to fight for fair pay. Accordingly, the Executive Council agreed the following proposal:
1. Aim to ballot members for strike action in 5 weeks’ time.
2. The Executive Council to reconvene within 3 weeks to report back and to further develop plans for industrial action.
3. Executive Council members to report in detail on:
a. Membership matrix information.
b. Membership consultation feedback.
c. Local FBU hardship funds.
4. Open members’ meetings as soon as practically possible in all regions with the attendance of national officials.
5. Immediate communication of these decisions to all members.
Work is now under way to deliver these aims. There is much work to be done to ensure compliance with the anti-trade union laws. However, the aim of the Executive Council is to issue ballot papers in 5 weeks’ time. We will inform you of plans for meetings in your brigade or region.
- Please attend any such meetings.
- Ensure you attend all discussions at your workplace branch.
- Have your say on the proposals above and on the way forward.
- Ensure you register to receive updates on this issue by sending your private email address (we cannot accept a Fire Service email address) to [email protected] by 23 September 2022. In order to identify members correctly, please also include your Date of Birth, Brigade and membership number in the email. If you already receive email updates from the union, you do not need to resubmit your email address.
Our aim must be to maximise the turnout in the ballot to defeat the anti-union laws and to make sure our anger is heard through an overwhelming YES vote. Taking strike action in the Fire & Rescue Service is always a last resort, but members can be assured that the actions of our employers have left us with no choice. They must be held to account for the contempt they have shown to FBU members.
We must achieve fair pay for FBU members. The current situation cannot continue and only through standing and fighting together can we achieve a desperately needed pay rise.
The ball is now in the fire service employers’ court. It is not too late for them to make a substantially better pay offer for consideration by our members. We will keep you informed of all developments.
Yours in unity.
Matt Wrack
General Secretary
