Report - Fire Brigades Union

SECTION H — EDUCATION
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consider how the union might develop strategies for
building an effective organisation at all levels in order to
protect the interests of the membership;
think about the relevance of political ideas in pursuit of
trade union objectives such as fair and equal treatment;
discuss how to tackle racism and challenge far right ideas
in the workplace; and
understand the broader trade union and labour movement,
both national and international, and factors affecting its
development, both now and in the past.
As outlined above, the school was delivered to two groups in
Year 1 and one group in Year 2. A range of discussion activities
was supported by inputs from both tutors and guest speakers.
The school included separate programmes of study for Year 1
and Year 2. The programme of work for Year 2 was built on the
assumption that learners have previously covered the work of
the first year. All students were sent written pre-course reading
covering both study skills and issues to be discussed during
the school.
The school was opened on Sunday afternoon by Sean
Starbuck, national officer, and Trevor Cave, director of
education. Participants then divided into their respective
classes in either Year 1 or 2 for introductory sessions with
their tutors and class chairs. The sessions covered an
introduction to studies and a discussion of learning aims,
methods and skills.
On Monday the school was opened by Matt Wrack, general
secretary, who introduced a session entitled “Defending
quality public services and the fire and rescue service – new
challenges with a new government”, followed by a question
and answer session. The school then broke into group
sessions to further develop the discussion.
After lunch the school met again in plenary session for an
introduction by Trevor Cave, FBU director of education, on
“The National Joint Council for local authority fire and rescue
services – understanding and defending the NJC; knowing and
using your agreements”. This was followed by Year 1 group
discussions on understanding the NJC and Year 2 considering
national and local campaign priorities.
The penultimate session of the day for Year 1 was introduced
by Sean Starbuck who delivered a briefing for the next day’s
visits to the National Coal Mining Museum, the exhibition of
banners and the 25th anniversary of the miners’ strike 1984-85
at the NUM headquarters, Miners’ Hall, in Barnsley, and the
Huskar pit disaster memorial in Silkstone churchyard.
The penultimate session of the day for Year 2 was introduced
by Trevor Cave who delivered a briefing for the next day’s visit
to the Wilberforce House Museum in Hull.
On Tuesday Year 1 visited Silkstone churchyard where
participants were given the opportunity to view the Huskar pit
disaster memorial of 1838. The group then proceeded to the
National Union of Mineworkers headquarters in Barnsley
where they were met by officials from the NUM who gave a
talk on the exhibitions and the hall itself. This was followed by
a visit to the National Coal Mining Museum where participants
went on an underground tour to see for themselves the
conditions that prevailed in the mining industry and to put the
visit to the memorial and the miners’ hall in context.
Year 2 made a visit to the Wilberforce Museum in Hull where
they were given the opportunity to discover the history of the
slave trade and the campaign to have it abolished. Participants
also had the opportunity to examine the modern trade in slaves
and make comparisons. This visit was a departure from
previous years and, along with the visit to the mining museum,
was hailed as a great success.
On return to Wortley Hall the groups prepared presentations
on their respective visits. These presentations were in
response to activities around the themes of the visits and were
to be presented in plenary session on day five.
On Wednesday the morning started with a contribution
entitled “Trade unions and contemporary employment
relations – understanding what’s happening today”, given by
guest speaker Professor Gregor Gall from the University of
Hertfordshire. This was followed by a question and answer
session before the school broke into groups for the
classroom activities. Year 1 concentrated upon attacks on
trade unions whilst Year 2 looked at dealing with hostile
employers and management. Gregor Gall joined the group as
guest tutor.
At lunchtime all participants gathered on the steps of Wortley
Hall for the traditional group photograph.
The afternoon commenced with a lively plenary session led by
Colin Burgon, retired Labour Member of Parliament for the
Elmet constituency 1997-2010 and member of the FBU
Parliamentary Support Group. The session was entitled
“Understanding the current political situation” and was
followed by group work developing the same theme.
The final session of the day was the international session
“Defend the rescuers – attacks on medics in Gaza”, led by
guest speaker Sharyn Lock from the organisation Access for
Peace. Sharyn gave a brief introduction followed by a
sometimes harrowing film on her visit to Gaza, followed by a
question and answer session.
On Thursday the school opened with a plenary session led by
guest speakers Alan Freeman and Bob McKee, entitled
“Providing quality public services: what they cost and why we
need them – countering myths and propaganda”. The groups
from both years then went off to prepare for radio interviews
on the government cuts to public services before returning for
a plenary session where they gave their interviews.
The afternoon plenary session on “Race and trade unions”
was led by Dr Brian Kelly, director of the After Slavery Project,
Queen’s University, Belfast. This was followed by questions
and answers before splitting into groups to consider how best
the FBU can go about building unity in the workplace.
FBU Annual Report 2011 143