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FBU Firefighter April/May 2021

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FBU Firefighter April/May 2021 FTHE MAGAZINEIR OF THE FIRE BRIGADESEF UNION | WWW.FBU.ORG.UKIG | APRIL/MAY 2021HTER FIREFIGHTERS IN GOVERNMENT SIGHTS PLANS WOULD DISMANTLE SERVICE SEE P10 SAVE LIVES WITH GRENFELL: ‘RECKLESS ENGLAND BRIGADES CUT OUR SURVEY DISREGARD FOR LIFE’ BY £140m SINCE 2016 SEE P16 SEE P14 SEE P6 GENERAL SECRETARY’S COMMENT MATT WRACK WE MUST BE READY TO FIGHT POLITICAL ATTACKS GROUNDHOG DAY In the last edition of Firefighter we discussed the report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) on the response to the pandemic and how it was yet another political attack on our union. Fast forward just two months and history is repeating itself. The inspec- torate’s annual State of Fire report again singles out the FBU and repeats worrying recommendations for govern- ment-imposed changes to our service, these include changing firefighters’ terms and conditions, granting chief fire officers so-called “operational independence” (in reality independence from Cuts have political accountability) and consequences: bringing in a pay review body. firefighters attend And, just a day before a fatal fire in Surrey the inspectorate released its report, home secretary Priti Patel confirmed to and despite their best efforts, oversees the registry, wants in England had had Parliament that legislation firefighters were unable to gain all firefighters, even those their funding slashed on these very changes to control of the lifts, impeding who have not received a since 2016, with some our service is imminent. their attempts to rescue people. diagnosis, to register. having their budgets from There is no doubt that Module two, which was The more responses, central government cut the next few months will completed the week before, the easier the job will be by more than 40%. be decisive and we have to proved to be a shocking for researchers to identify Sadly, just weeks later in be ready to fight attacks on indictment of corporate the level of risk firefighters Surrey we saw first-hand our terms and conditions profiteering and deregulation. face, making it easier the disastrous consequences and our profession. You can read more about to improve procedures cuts can have at an incident this on pages 14 and 15. and demand change. where an individual died GRENFELL INQUIRY The FBU and UCLan when it took the first engine Module three of the CANCER REGISTRY particularly want firefighters 14 minutes to arrive. Grenfell Tower Inquiry The response to the launch of who attended the Grenfell The county has seen its began on 30 March when the UK Cancer and Disease Tower fire to register. central government funds cut the FBU delivered its Registry has been remarkable, It’s really easy to by 34% since 2016, leading opening statement. with 1,147 serving and retired do, just check out our to the removal of engines Our submission focussed firefighters registering online. feature on pages 16 and and the closure of stations. on the awful disrepair of This should help 17 to find out more. If we are going to build the fire control switch on researchers build a picture a service fit for the future, the lift and how very little of the effect firefighting CUTS HAVE CONSEQUENCES governments in all four had been done to ensure has on health. In March, our analysis parts of the UK need to it was in working order. The University of Central showed that almost all understand that it cannot On the night of the fire, Lancashire (UCLan), which fire and rescue services be done on the cheap. 2 FIREFIGHTER | APRIL/MAY 2021 16 CONTENTS APRIL/MAY 2021 5 NEWS REGULARS 4 Plans will dismantle fire 5 Sounding off and rescue service Your completed questionnaire 5 Back our pledge, firefighters will make a huge difference urge Scottish candidates 7 News focus 6 Cuts in England £140m FBU evidence to module since 2016 3 of the Grenfell inquiry More lives at risk, FBU warns after fatal fire 18 Equalities Reports from the TUC FEATURES women’s and black workers’ conferences 8 International Workers Memorial Day 19 Legal Beagle What new employment law 10 Our terms and conditions could mean for FBU members In the sights of joint government regulator attack 20 Noticeboard Cut your fuel bills, see FBU 14 Grenfell inquiry update shop’s new clothing, and find Damning evidence reveals how you could win £1000- the cost of privatisation, worth of Currys vouchers deregulation and greed 21 Station Cat 16 Cancer registry Pay and the pandemic UNION LEARNING FUND Why every past and present A big thank you to all providers of the Union Learning firefighter should sign up – 22 Long service badges Fund and @FBULearn for the years of hard work irrespective of health or age – and to all the members, their friends and family who supported ULF and benefited from the courses. Abolition of this fund by the government is the sad loss of an excellent learning resource. FIREFIGHTER Published by the Fire Brigades Union Bradley House, 68 Coombe Road Kingston upon Thames KT2 7AE 8 www.fbu.org.uk Firefighter production team: Tom Colclough, Anna Zych, Lisa Irving and Alan Slingsby Cover image: Eddie Howland Print: Walstead UK, Storey’s Bar Road, Peterborough PE1 5YS Firefighter is mailed in a 100% compostable wrapper. Please do not recycle the wrapper but dispose of it in your home compost heap, your garden waste or food waste bin. APRIL/MAY 2021 | FIREFIGHTER 3 FATAL FIRE AFTER CUTS GRENFELL Firefighters call on FBU statement council to reverse to Grenfell inquiry cuts after response module 3 on fire times hit by night safety p7 NEWS time closures p6 The attacks on firefighters’ terms and conditions come after successful industrial and legal action by the FBU to protect members’ pensions and other conditions of service GOVERNMENT PLANS WILL DISMANTLE THE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE, WRACK WARNS TERMS AND CONDITIONS to MPs that legislation in Parliament Following on from the previous State is imminent and will be built on the of Fire and Rescue report, this year’s The Westminster government ramped inspectorate’s report. makes recommendations including up its plans to attack the fire and Separately, the government also dismantling the NJC by June this year, rescue service after Her Majesty’s confirmed it will consult on further just three months away. Inspectorate released a second report subsuming fire and rescue services Buried in the inspectorate proposals calling for sweeping changes to the into the control of police and is a recommendation to review the service, including to firefighters’ terms crime commissioners. roles of fire and rescue services and and conditions. “Firefighters are clearly in the govern- of firefighters. The annual State of Fire and Rescue ment’s sights,” said Matt Wrack, FBU The Home Office is expected report, published on 17 March by Her general secretary. “We’ve known that to flesh out these plans in the Majesty’s Inspectorate for Constabulary plans were afoot to attack terms and forthcoming legislation. and Fire and Rescue Services, reiterated conditions, the way pay is negotiated and Matt Wrack said the next few months calls for changes to the Grey Book, how the very service operates. Now we will represent one of the biggest, co-ordi- describing the document which details know when it is going to happen, and we nated attacks seen on the fire and rescue firefighters contracts of employment as have to be ready.” service and on the rights and conditions being “too rigid”. The inspectorate’s report, which of FBU members The report also recommended follows one in January reviewing the “The government wants to not only that chief fire officers be granted pandemic response, claimed there are take away firefighters’ seat at the table, so-called “operational independence” “too many barriers” to change in the but also tear up the Grey Book which, up and breaking up the National Joint fire and rescue service and pointed to a to now, has been a vital safeguard against Council (NJC) where firefighters’ lack of “flexibility” in working practices, driving down terms and conditions and pay is negotiated, to be replaced preventing chief fire officers from protecting the role of the firefighter. by a pay review body with no acting independently. “Doing all that, whilst giving chief union representation. fire officers complete freedom to do what In press interviews, report author Sir they want is a recipe for disaster, and Thomas Winsor went as far as to hint ‘ONE OF THE BIGGEST one which could effectively prove to be a that firefighters’ right to strike could be dismantling of the fire and rescue service removed by the government. ATTACKS SEEN ON THE as we know it.” Just a day before the report’s launch, Government proposals on legislation home secretary Priti Patel confirmed FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE’ are expected in the coming months. 4 FIREFIGHTER | APRIL/MAY 2021 SOUNDING OFF BACK FIRE SERVICE, Professor Anna A Stec appeals to every firefighter to complete a questionnaire that will save lives CANDIDATES URGED EACH COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE SCOTTISH ELECTIONS funding for 2019/20 is 5% lower in real terms than in 2012/13. WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE Firefighters are calling on Although the Scottish govern- The creation of the UK Firefighters Cancer and candidates in May’s parliamentary ment’s budget for 2021/22 has Disease Registry (FCDR), follows a report (bit. elections in Scotland to pledge increased funding for SFRS by ly/FBU-toxic-exposure) in which more than 4% support for an FBU plan to protect £9.9m in total, firefighters pointed of serving UK firefighters who responded to a and invest in the fire service.
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