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Fire Brigades Union gives Merseyside fire employers a 20-day window to engage in talks before naming dates for industrial action
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Call for talks follows resounding mandate for action earlier this week
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“The ball is in their court”, says union leader
The FBU has written to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, calling for employers to get round the table to avoid strike action and action short of strike.
In a letter addressed to Merseyside Chief Fire Officer Phil Garrigan, FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack has set September 12 as a deadline for local negotiations. If the local dispute has not been resolved by that date, the FBU will meet to consider calling strike and action short of strike dates.
The letter follows the results of two ballots this week, which delivered an “overwhelming mandate” for industrial action following a serious break down in industrial relations.
Merseyside fire control members have voted overwhelmingly for strike action, with 100% voting Yes on a 92% turnout, responding to an imposed reduction in night-time staffing numbers in Merseyside Fire Control Room from the agreed level of 6 to 5, and the requirement for some members to work a duty shift system that was never subject to negotiation with the FBU.
Firefighters across Merseyside, as well as FBU ‘green book’ members (non-uniformed staff), have also voted to continue action short of strike with 82% voting yes on a 71% turnout in response to non-negotiated changes to terms and conditions of service (details in Notes). This action will involve firefighters and green book members of staff refusing to undertake pre-arranged overtime.
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary said:
Fire control staff and firefighters in Merseyside returned an overwhelming mandate for strike and action short of strike this week. These results are testament to the determination of firefighters in Merseyside to defend their fire service, and their depth of feeling.
We have sent a clear message to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and the Fire Authority. We are confident that FBU industrial action in Merseyside will be rock solid, and we have given the employers a 20-day window in good faith to settle this dispute before strike action or other industrial action becomes necessary. The ball is in their court.”
Ian Hibbert, Fire Brigades Union Merseyside brigade secretary, said:
Merseyside fire control staff and firefighters smashed through ballot thresholds this week, delivering a huge mandate for industrial action. Our members care deeply about protecting their service from attacks on working conditions. They are prepared to take action if employers do not start treating them with the respect they deserve.
During this dispute, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service has continued to refuse to abide by locally and nationally agreed negotiation procedures. We are here, waiting to negotiate in good faith. Our employers have until the September 12 to meet us and avoid strikes.”
NOTES
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The letter was sent on Wednesday 23 August, giving a 12 September deadline
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The issues which have led to the successful ballots for continued action short of strike are:
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The introduction of new duty shift systems - without negotiation - which essentially require new firefighters to work both wholetime and retained and breach nationally agreed terms and conditions in relation to overtime rates of pay.
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The non-agreed expansion of the firefighter role in contracts for all new entrants
The issues which have led to the successful ballots for strike action in fire control are
- an imposed reduction in night-time staffing numbers in Merseyside Fire Control Room from the agreed level of 6 to 5
- the requirement for some members to work a duty shift system which was never subject to negotiation.
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The full result of the Fire Control Strike Ballot is as follows
The number of individuals entitled to vote was 25
The number of votes cast in the ballot was 23
The number of individuals answering “yes” to the question was 23
The number of individuals answering “no” to the question was 0
The number of spoiled or otherwise invalid voting papers returned was 0
The percentage of those voting who voted YES is 100%
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The full result of the ballot for Action Short of Strike in firefighters and Green Book members is as follows:
The number of individuals entitled to vote was 541
The number of votes cast in the ballot was 384
The number of individuals answering “yes” to the question was 315
The number of individuals answering “no” to the question was 69
The number of spoiled or otherwise invalid voting papers returned was 0
The percentage of those voting who voted YES is 82%
