RPI/CPI Judicial Review Lobby 25th Oct
Dear Brother/Sister RPI/CPI: JUDICIAL REVIEW 25 OCTOBER 2011 You will be aware that as a part of the ongoing campaign to defend public sector pensions the FBU have instigated, along with several other unions, a legal challenge over the Government’s decision to change the uprating mechanism for pensions from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This will reduce the value of pensions by approximately 15% over 20 years. Our judicial review is scheduled for hearing at the High Court on Tuesday 25 October starting at 10.30am. There is to be a lobby organised by the unions concerned to coincide with the start of proceedings, details as…
FURTHER DETAILS ON THE HUTTON REVIEW ON PENSIONS
FURTHER DETAILS ON THE HUTTON REVIEW ON PENSIONS Members will be aware that the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission: Final Report was published and made available from 10th March 2011. Head Office circular 2011HOC0117MW was issued later the same day, outlining the main concerns for FBU members and informing them that a more detailed assessment of the full Hutton report would be taking place. We have been looking at the report in more detail and can now give a clearer overview of what the proposals, if accepted by Government, could mean. Members should recognise that, in the document, Hutton makes the assumption that the Government has already accepted that Consumer Prices…
REGIONAL FIRECONTROL PROJECT SCRAPPE
Dear Brother/Sister ENGLISH REGIONAL FIRECONTROL PROJECT SCRAPPED On Monday 20th December the Westminster Fire Minister issued a written Ministerial Statement to the House of Commons which terminated, with immediate effect, the contract with Cassidian (formerly EADS) to deliver the FiReControl Project. For the past seven years our members in Emergency Fire Controls across the Services in England have had to live with uncertainty and Governmental incompetence as the project has stumbled on from one crisis to another. The FBU were the only voice within the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) that consistently opposed the regionalisation of our Fire Controls: not for self-serving reasons, but because we saw no evidence to suggest that this was going to improve in…
ALL MEMBERS CIRCULAR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
CIRCULAR: 2010HOC0658MW 22nd 2010 2010HOC0658MWBucks TO: ALL MEMBERS BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Dear Brother/Sister, HEALTH AND SAFETY – ASSISTANCE TO/FROM LONDON FIRE BRIGADE Members will be aware that strike action is due to take place in London as follows: 23rd October 2010 from 10.00 Hrs until 18.00 Hrs 1st November 2010 from 10.00 Hrs until 18.00 Hrs It is understood that London Fire Brigade (LFB) have requested extensive assistance on those dates at the following emergency incidents: 1. Incidents that present a risk to human life that are beyond the capability of the LFB’s contingency arrangements. 2. Significant incidents occur beyond the capabilities of LFB contingency arrangements, which threaten major loss of life, or potential…
ALL MEMBERS CIRCULAR BERKSHIRE
CIRCULAR: 2010HOC0658MW 22nd 2010 2010HOC0658MWBerks TO: ALL MEMBERS BERKSHIRE Dear Brother/Sister, HEALTH AND SAFETY – ASSISTANCE TO/FROM LONDON FIRE BRIGADE Members will be aware that strike action is due to take place in London as follows: 23rd October 2010 from 10.00 Hrs until 18.00 Hrs 1st November 2010 from 10.00 Hrs until 18.00 Hrs It is understood that London Fire Brigade (LFB) have requested extensive assistance on those dates at the following emergency incidents: 1. Incidents that present a risk to human life that are beyond the capability of the LFB’s contingency arrangements. 2. Significant incidents occur beyond the capabilities of LFB contingency arrangements, which threaten major loss of life, or potential…
Hutton Report on Public Sector Pensions: Work Longer; Pay More; Get Less
CIRCULAR: 2010HOC0638MW 08 October 2010 TO: ALL MEMBERS view this Circular in Dear Brother/Sister, Hutton Report on Public Sector Pensions: Work Longer; Pay More; Get Less Members and officials will be aware that the interim report from John Hutton on Public Sector Pensions was released on 7 October 2010. The final report is expected in spring 2011 and it will make recommendations to Government on the future funding and benefit structures for Public Sector pensions. The FBU responded to the early call to submit evidence to the Commission from John Hutton on the Pension Schemes in the Fire Service, which included the 1992 Firefighters Pension Scheme, the 2006 New Firefighters Pension Scheme and the New Look…
PAY – NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 2010
CIRCULAR: 2010HOC0629MW 05 October 2010 TO: ALL MEMBERS Dear Brother/Sister, PAY – NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 2010 The National Joint Council met last week (30.09.10) and the Union again placed on the agenda the issue of pay. This was the first opportunity to discuss pay since the Employers wrote to the Union stating that they would not be making an offer on pay for 2010. The Employers’ stance at the NJC remained unchanged. This stance was challenged by the FBU and the Employers were reminded of the following: Pay in the Fire Service is not directly determined by government policy, but is determined by voluntary collective bargaining between the FBU and the Fire Service Employers. In other…
Retained Firefighters: Pension Settlement Update
CIRCULAR: 2010HOC0317MW 07 May 2010 TO: ALL RETAINED BRANCHES Cc: Brigade Secretaries Dear Brother/Sister, RETAINED FIREFIGHTERS: PENSION SETTLEMENT UPDATE FBU officials and representatives of Thompsons Solicitors have been in negotiations with representatives of the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) trying to reach a negotiated settlement that could be recommended to members as a settlement to the issue of firefighters working the Retained Duty System gaining access to the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme. A report was given to the Executive Council at their meeting held on 21st and 22nd April 2010 and a full discussion took place on the negotiations to date. Regular reports have been given to the Executive Council and further meetings have…
FiReControl and recent Government Announcements
CIRCULAR: 2010HOC0348AD 26 May 2010 TO: ALL MEMBERS Dear Brother/Sister, FIRECONTROL AND RECENT GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS Members will be aware of various reports issued by government departments at Westminster, which refer to the government’s consideration of the FiReControl Project and regionalisation more generally. Similarly, a number of members and officials have received what appears to be, positive assurances from their Member of Parliament. Whilst we all hope that common sense will prevail, at this time no definite decision has been made whether to proceed with the project as it stands; to delay the current project; to modify the project progress with an alternative; or of course, to cease the project entirely and to maintain the current…
Regionalisation of Emergency Fire Controls – Letter to Prime Minister David Cameron
CIRCULAR: 2010HOC0336MW 14 May 2010 TO: ALL MEMBERS Dear Brother / Sister REGIONALISATION OF EMERGENCY FIRE CONTROLS – LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER Members will be aware from our long running lobbying and campaigning that the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties have both expressed very clear opposition to the Regionalisation of Fire Controls in England. The two parties now form the new Government. Attached is a letter to the Prime Minister seeking a commitment from the Government to honour the pledges made on this issue prior to the election; the text of the letter also appears below. Yours fraternally MATT WRACK GENERAL SECRETARY Download the letter to the Prime Minister as a PDF Text of letter…
