Dear Brother / Sister
Our service, our future – the firefighters’ manifesto
I am inviting you to attend a rally and lobby by FBU members in Westminster on Wednesday 1st November 2023.
Your voice is important and when we come together as a union our voice is magnified to a level that cannot be ignored. We need politicians to understand what our profession really needs. We demand an end to cuts and immediate investment in our life saving service.
Budgets are being prepared and we know that a General Election is rapidly approaching. Now is the time for us to unite and set out what we demand to repair our service which has been undermined by cuts for too long.
We are calling on all FBU members to come to Westminster on Wednesday 1st November, unite with colleagues across the UK and hold politicians to account. We want you to raise the real issues that matter to you and your service. To assist you, we will provide you with a range a briefing sheets on issues that matter to FBU members.
These include:
- An end to cuts and immediate investment to start to rebuild our service
- New national critical standards of fire cover and associated appliance crewing
- A statutory duty everywhere for the FRS on flooding
- Recognition of the impact on our service of climate change, wildfires, floods and other extreme weather events
- Presumptive legislation for firefighters who contract occupational cancers
- Occupational health monitoring for firefighters
- Guaranteeing firefighters the right to strike
- Fair pay for firefighters through collective bargaining
- An improved work-related pension for all firefighters and firefighters control
All these issues have been raised by FBU members and need to be addressed immediately. They can form a wide ranging ‘Firefighters Manifesto’ and we demand that politicians listen to them and act. You can play a significant part in achieving this by attending Westminster on 1st November and making sure your voice is heard.
There may be other issues affecting you locally which you want to raise with Politicians. If so, please raise them with your local FBU officials to get assistance when lobbying your MP.
This is our service and our future. We need to unite and fight for it. Please join us in Westminster on 1st November and make sure that politicians understand the need to implement a manifesto which reverses cuts to our Service and builds for the future. Be a part of the Firefighters’ Manifesto and make your voice heard.
Further details, including travel arrangements, will be organised by your local Brigade and Regional Officials.
Yours in unity
Matt Wrack
General Secretary
