ESTABLISHED 1918 JOURNAL OF THE FIRE BRIGADES UNION F ir e F ig h t e r VOL 28 NO. 1 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2000 FBU SUPPORTS HOMERTON ELEVEN 2 CONFERENCE TRESSELL FESTIVAL 2000 HE Robert Tressell Centre has been set up, with the support of Trade Unions both locally and nationally, to preserve and promote the memory of Robert Tressell author HE Annual Conference this Tof the classic working class novel, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist. One of the year will have many significant major undertakings of the group is the Robert Tressell Festival, the second of which will be Telements contained within it, held over the weekend of the 27th/28th May 2000. The inaugural event last year was a great apart from the fact that it will be success with trade unionists and other enthusiasts travelling from around the country to the first of the new millennium. Hastings. Apart from the Festival the group are trying to introduce a whole new generation To mark this occasion it is of readers to this wonderful work via schools and libraries. For further information please proposed to produce for the week contact Dee Daly at the Robert Tressell Centre, 84 Bohemia Road, St Leonards on Sea, East of Conference, in print and on the Sussex, TN37 6RN or visit the website at: www.1066.net/tressell Website, a Conference 2000 special edition of Firefighter. To do this the Executive Council need your help. THOMPSONS & THE FBU The Journal will hopefully contain articles, letters, and photos of how UNION LEGAL SERVICES this Union has grown and evolved over the 20th Century and also NION legal services are substantially cheaper than any other legal expenses look forward to how it will progress insurance, according to a TUC survey, Focus on Union Legal Services. For an average in to the 21st. There will be articles Ucost to each member of £3 a year, union members got a total compensation of £308 from the retiring General Secretary million last year. The survey produced annually, found that last year: and the current President. Also The total compensation figure was up nearly 10 per cent on the previous year and was Thompson’s (FBU Solicitors), TUC, the second highest ever reported: and the Labour Party. Unions win almost all the personal injury cases taken (96 per cent) and Whatever your contribution, or Over 50,000 personal injury cases were settled with the help of trade unions during the memory, past present or looking year — one case every two minutes — while another 850 were taken through the Criminal forward, to this great union, please Injuries Compensation Scheme. consider submitting something for Unions are responsible for breaking boundaries on occupational illness. In 1998 they won possible inclusion in this historic test cases on chronic bronchitis, emphysema and vibration white finger and are setting the publication. pace for call-centre workers winning cases on acoustic shock and voice loss. All materials submitted will be Union legal services are now expanding beyond the workplace, with 94 per cent of union returned, and where possible members and their families now covered by free assistance for road traffic accidents. please send them via the Internet However, over and above those services, mentioned in this article, the Fire Brigades Union to: [email protected] offers a much more comprehensive service to members than those quoted above. We use failing this an old fashioned the Law firm of Thompsons for various matters of legal assistance and research, such as: envelope to Head Office will do. ■ advice on industrial Law; The closing date for any ■ analysis and written guidance on legislation; ■ trade disputes and ballots; submissions is 3rd April 2000. ■ QC’s written advice on various matters; ■ appeals etc to the High Court; ■ and for pursuing more generic issues such as the current challenge we are pursuing through the European Commission against the UK Government's interpretation of various EDITORS NOTE aspects of health and safety legislation. IN the November Firefighter's article The comprehensive service, although free to members at the point of service does how­ Some things you thought you could ever, involve the union in quite considerable costs which are of course paid from member’s rely on the author was Alan Stark and contributions. not Mark Simmons as printed. The Executive Council is convinced however, that the money spent on legal services each The final paragraph on page 25 year is money well spent. should have read ‘10 weeks' rather They are also aware that the quality of solicitors and QCs we use cannot be equalled; than ‘10 months’. We apologise for hence our extremely high success rate in for example Personal Injury cases. these errors. Dave Patton, National Officer 3 Comment From your General Secretary WE ARE NOT INFLEXIBLE HE Inquiry into Fire Service gesting improvements to the Industrial Relations is ongo­ existing negotiating machinery. I Ting with Professor Burchill believe that any truly construc­ taking written and verbal evi­ tive suggestions put forward dur­ dence from interested parties. ing this process, coupled with The situation from our point of real commitment to providing a view has changed little, if at all, safe and efficient Fire Service for from my circular 99HOC815KC the public, can offer a way for­ and the leaflet “They think it’s all ward. However, no way forward over” from National Officer, Andy must ignore the right of those Gilchrist. Our submission is well providing the Service to be treat­ on the way to being produced ed with dignity and respect in and will of course, meet the relation to their pay and condi­ Professor’s deadline. When com­ tions; it must encompass the plete, it will be circulated sentiments in the agreed concept throughout the Union in order satisfactory resolution. It was, of “Best Employment”. that all members can see what is after all, our current Employers “Quality Services should mean being said on their behalf. who denied our Retained quality employment . there is It is fair to say that at this Member sick pay, leaving her a simple truth — how you treat time, our evidence will be both almost homeless. Most recently your employees is crucial to the detailed and constructive. in GMC, West Yorkshire and quality of the service that they Drawing on the factual events of London tried to tear up National provide to the community.” recent years, we will hope to Conditions and negotiating Finally, it is an important time show that the FBU is not averse machinery. for the FBU for another reason. to either change or modernisa­ The other criticism is that we There is currently an election for tion where this improves the take strike action too readily; the future General Secretary of Service provided to the public then the facts — only one the Union. I would simply ask and does not worsen the work­ national strike in the whole of that all members use their vote ing lives of our members. the 20th Century, recent local and in doing so, be guided only Far from being confrontational, strikes only to defend fire cover by official FBU materials promul­ an accusation that is as offensive or most recently in Essex, to gated by Head Office or our bal­ as it is inaccurate, we will show maintain proper levels of fire lot organisation, ERBS. that in all recent disputes the cover and public safety. KEN CAMERON FBU has sought to negotiate a Despite this, we will be sug­ General Secretary 4 FBU SUPPORTS LONDON’S SUSPENDED MEMBERS MEETING of the Fire Brigades let our members at Homerton be epidemic during the New Year. This Union’s (FBU) London Regional victimised. is not true. According to the Committee on Friday 7th January A As part of the Regional Committee’s Department of Health, there was unanimously agreed on a campaign to campaign to defend our victimised just the usual seasonal increase in defend 11 members suspended at members at Homerton, a number of influenza cases. Homerton Fire Station for allegedly initiatives have been agreed. Please • He refers to “the sp e cia l circum­ refusing to work with personnel doing mark these dates in your diary: stances brought about by the overtime on New Year’s Eve and New • 4th February — Demonstration — Millennium celebrations”. Yet when Year’s Day. assemble at Homerton we asked the Brigade for a The campaign will include marches • 7th February — Blue Watch Day of Millennium bonus to be paid to and lobbies and will lead to a strike Action on-duty personnel at the BJCF ballot next month if disciplinary action • 9th February— Green Watch Day of in February, their response was is not dropped. Action that “this was a normal part of The suspended members at • 11th February — White Watch Day Brigade activity”. When we ask Homerton did not actually refuse to of Action for more money they describe work with anybody, because nobody • 14th February — Red Watch Day of New Year’s Eve as “normal activity" working overtime came to the station. Action but when the Chief wants to They worked normally throughout New • 28th February — Lobby of Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. break the FBU’s overtime ban he Southwark Town Hall (Cllr. Tony The only time that the public were Ritchie). describes it as “special placed at risk was when the Green circumstances”. Misleading information has been put Watch were ordered by Management out by the Chief Fire Officer regarding The Chief has extended his “sincere not to attend a call as they were about the events at Homerton.