How To Lobby Your MP

Brothers/Sisters, Many of you will be travelling to Westminster on the 21st October for the ‘Part of the Team’ campaign and will be planning to lobby your MP.  Please read on for a practical how-to  guide. HOW TO LOBBY YOUR MP ‘Lobbying’ means contacting your MP as a constituent, informing the MP of your concerns on an issue and asking the MP to do something. While you can meet the MP in the constituency, in this case the intention is to visit Parliament as part of a lobby organised by the FBU. Given the present standing of MPs following the expenses scandal, and an impending General Election, MPs are likely to be keener to meet constituents.  You…

RCC Consultation Documents 22.09.09

Sisters/Brothers Please see the links below to download all consutation documents received from the LACC. Brigade & Regional FBU officials from the Southern & South East regions will be working together to respond on your behalf with the support of the CSNC.  Please complete the form below to pass on your specific concerns to your FBU officials Agenda 21 & 22 September Fora Item 3 Consultation Feedback for July 2009 Forum Meetings Item 4a Removal and Resettlement Consultation Cover Note SE removal and resettlement policy Version 2 SEFRCC REMO 1 FORM for ConsultationControl Room Operator V3 1 Item 4b Control Room Roles Consultation Cover Note Control Room Operator V3 1 Operations Manager v3 1 Resource…

Hundreds line streets for Paul Fletchers Funeral

THE streets of Newport were brought to a standstill yesterday (Wednesday) as hundreds of people stopped to pay their respects to firefighter Paul Fletcher, 39, who died last month. Scores of Isle of Wight firefighters, police and paramedics took part in a moving parade as Mr Fletcher’s coffin was transported on a fire engine to a service at the Minster Church of Sts Thomas, Newport. Paul Fletcher. Floral wreaths, including one reading ‘Daddy’ and another reading ‘Son’, were in place on the fire engine as, flanked by colleagues, the father-of-two’s coffin was taken from Newport Fire Station to the church. The award-winning crew manager and former policeman died in hospital shortly after attending a call-out…

FIREFIGHTERS PENSION SCHEME 1992 – COMMUTATION FACTORS

Dear Brother/Sister, FIREFIGHTERS PENSION SCHEME 1992 – COMMUTATION FACTORS For your information, Communities and Local Government have issued the attached circular regarding commutation. This informs Fire & Rescue Authorities that the 1992 Firefighters Pension Scheme will have the commutation factors applied retrospectively from 22nd August 2006. A Head Office circular explaining this further will be distributed very shortly. Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Circular Circular Number: FPSC 7/2009 Date Issued: 7/9/2009 Action: For Information and Action Title: FIREFIGHTERS’ PENSION SCHEME 1992 – COMMUTATION FACTORS Issued by: Martin Hill Local Government and Firefighters’ Pensions Division Summary: This circular provides guidance on the backdating to 22 August 2006 of the actuarial factors for the commutation of pension into a…

All members circular: Paul Fletcher

TO:    ALL MEMBERS (REGION 12) cc:     Brigade Secretaries Dear Brother/Sister PAUL FLETCHER It is with deep regret that I have to inform you that in the early hours of Monday morning Brother Paul Fletcher, of the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, collapsed and died whilst attending an incident. Paul was recently elected as Chair of the Southern Region of the Fire Brigades Union, following on from the role of Region 12 ULR coordinator. He had started this position two years into the project, but he quickly progressed the Southern Region to the fore. He was instrumental in assisting the Isle of Wight to become the first F&RS in the UK to achieve the…

South Yorkshire Dispute

SouthYorkshire fire authority says it will sack 744 of its firefighters if they will not accept changes to their contracts of employment. It is the first time mass sackings have been attempted in the fire service. A National Rally has been organised against this disgraceful attack on our members conditions of service which will take place in Barnsley on the 28th September. If you are able to attend the rally please contact your Branch official asap to find out where your nearest coach will be leaving from. Further details will be posted here as soon as they are announced. IF THIS IS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN IN SOUTH YORKS IT WILL BE COMING TO A BRIGADE…

Sit-in workers leave Vestas site

Sit-in workers leave Vestas site A worker jumped to the ground but was not seriously hurt Workers who staged a sit-in protest at a wind turbine blade factory on the Isle of Wight have left the building. Bailiffs entered the offices of Vestas in Newport at 1200 BST after the firm was granted a possession order. One man jumped from a balcony and was taken to hospital as a precaution and two abseiled from a wall. Workers had occupied an office inside the plant since 20 July in protest at plans to axe 625 jobs, which the firm said was due to a fall in demand. Bailiffs were told they could use “reasonable force” to…

Open letter from Union Leaders in Guardian for the Save Vestas campaign

An open letter from Union leaders was in the Guardian Newspaper, on Tuesday 4th August, for the Save Vestas Campaign: Miliband should act to save Vestas The Guardian, Tuesday 4 August 2009 We are seeking the urgent intervention of environment secretary Ed Miliband to save the Vestas wind turbine factory (Police asked to ensure the Vestas protesters receive enough food, 1 August). We know he is committed to promoting green energy, but people will find it difficult to understand that just as the government has recently set out its low-carbon transition plans to tackle climate change, England’s only large wind turbine manufacturing plant is scheduled to close. Ed Miliband has said he is committed to…

Vestas bosses ‘abuse the rights of workers’

Vestas bosses ‘abuse the rights of workers’ The Danish company Vestas have “tried to starve the workers into submission.” pic: David Smith Offshore energy union RMT has turned the tables on Vestas bosses and threatened legal action against executives’ attempts to “starve” workers out of their factory occupation. The wind turbine manufacturer has insisted on forcing through 625 redundancies at its three factories and has clamped down on food deliveries to workers who took over the Vestas plant near Newport, on the Isle of Wight, in protest at the mass sacking. But the workers’ union RMT has hit back at the attacks to threaten the Danish multinational with court action under the Human Rights Act…

Vestas bosses suffer setback in eviction attempt

Vestas bosses suffer setback in eviction attempt Vestas workers who were “sacked by pizza delivery” have defeated bosses’ attempts to evict them from their factory occupation. Executives at the Danish multinational firm failed in their court bid to end the protest against mass redundancies at the wind turbine manufacturing plant on the Isle of Wight – but stepped up their efforts to starve the workers into submission. Bosses had sent some workers dismissal letters hidden in pizza boxes, but a judge ruled that the company had not properly served notice on the occupiers and deferred further court hearings until August 4. Speaking from the occupied factory, employee Michael Godley revealed that the company had promised…