Report - Fire Brigades Union

Section
TU and labour
movement
C1 Introduction
During 2010 the union continued to participate in the various
campaigns and activities of the trade union and labour
movement. The focus for international work is developed by
the international subcommittee of the executive council and
has addressed issues directly affecting firefighters throughout
the world, as well as supporting and developing campaigns
around wider international solidarity issues.
The FBU sent delegations to a number of conferences
including the TUC, Wales TUC, STUC and ICTU in addition to
playing a full and active role in all TUC equality sections.
The FBU has supported many campaigns, including those
initiated by the TUC such as the campaign against the cuts.
The general election in May saw a number of our FBU
parliamentary group members stand down or lose their seats.
We would like to thank them for their work over the years
supporting the FBU in parliament. The group continued to work
closely with the union during 2010 and the executive council
wishes to place on record the union’s thanks for this important
area of work.
C2 TUC 2010
The 142nd annual Trades Union Congress was held in
Manchester from 13-16 September.
The FBU’s delegation was:
Matt Wrack
Mick Shaw
Vicky Knight
Tam McFarlane
Micky Nicholas
Rose Jones
Ian Murray
Warren Gee.
The FBU submitted two motions:
Pensions
Congress reaffirms its support for the provision of quality
occupational pensions in both the public and private sectors
and opposes the sustained campaign seeking to undermine
such provision.
Congress notes with alarm the continuing campaign against
decent pension provision under the coalition government. The
shift to using CPI to upgrade pensions will adversely affect
both public and private sector pension provision.
Congress opposes attempts to create division between those
working in the public and private sector which is merely an
attempt to create a ‘race to the bottom’ in pension provision
whereby each attack on pension rights is gradually extended to
all groups of workers.
Congress agrees to:
● Develop research and publicity material to support the
campaign to defend quality occupational pensions and
demonstrate the value of these to working people as a
whole;
●
Develop the case for extending the provision of quality final
salary occupational pensions to those who are not currently
covered by such schemes;
FBU Annual Report 2011 81