Report - Fire Brigades Union

President-elect’s introduction
The year 2010 saw the beginning of some of the most sinister
political plans to affect working people in this country for many
generations. The often ineffective and much maligned Labour
leadership faltered into opposition and paved the way for a
new government with a “coalition” veneer. Together with their
Liberal Democrat accomplices, the Tories have begun
vehement attacks on their long-term target, the public sector,
with a joint cuts agenda that nobody in the country voted for.
The campaign to challenge the cuts agenda will need to
involve every member of our union. We must fight against the
destruction of our service. We must stand shoulder to shoulder
with other trade unions in the labour movement.
The public sector cannot become the main victim of a problem
it had no part in causing. We must concentrate our forces to
make sure that we are ready for the biggest fight of all. Our
union is making ready at all levels. Each and every member
needs to examine their conscience and ensure that they are
completely aware and behind the fight for our service. We
need to present our genuine arguments for the alternative. We
must ensure that our officials are well briefed and have the full
backing of the membership.
The Fire Brigades Union has a long history of campaigning and
winning. We must rise to this challenge. We must maintain our
position of influence within the movement and fulfil the
aspirations of our members both locally and nationally.
Jobs, pay and conditions must continue to be our priority. At
the National Joint Council the union has once again proven
that, as far as representation in the fire and rescue service is
concerned, not only do we lead the way but we are the only
effective representative body that can deal with the running of
the service. Other organisations have been dismissed by our
staunchest critics as irrelevant in national negotiations. The Fire
Brigades Union is the voice of firefighters, officers, control,
retained and wholetime – and will continue to be so.
all quarters – not only from trade unions, but from the entire
labour movement and all caring, compassionate people, no
matter what their political affiliations.
Our union and its members should take the credit after the
FiReControl project collapsed. We were often the only voice
articulating the flaws in this project for over eight years and we
were vindicated. But we are not complacent. Our control
members are still under assault from mergers and closures,
and we still need to campaign for the resources to upgrade
control rooms.
2010 has also seen major local disputes. The early part of the
year was taken up by events in South Yorkshire and the latter
part by the efforts of our members in London. I wish to take
the opportunity to acknowledge the brilliant work of our
members and officials in London. They have proven against
major odds that solidarity, together with the correct political
message, can triumph.
The executive council has begun to reorganise all aspects of
the union and the way we function. This follows the instruction
from the FBU’s 2010 annual conference. Further measures will
be brought before this year’s conference to agree the way
forward. It must be understood by all that we, as a national
union, must work out the best strategy and obtain the
necessary funds to continue in the best interests of our
membership.
These are difficult times for us all in the movement and in this
union. I am certain that together we will continue to challenge
and triumph.
Alan McLean
Attacks on pensions in the public sector, long trailed by
hardened Conservatives, are now forthcoming. Without
effective opposition, the government will steamroll ahead with
its plans. Such opposition must be sustained and come from
FBU Annual Report 2011 9