Today the Executive Council UNANIMOUSLY rejected
the employers latest form of words. The position was very clear.
This rejection is due to the employers yet again moving the goal
posts and taking the micky out of Firefighters and Control Staff.
There seems to be a deliberate attempt by national employers to
force the FBU again and again into ever-tighter corners. Today the
response was clear and united. We will be pushed no further. This
has gone far beyond any form of words due to the wrecking actions
of the employers. This is about the breaking of the entire June
2003 agreement by the failure of the employers to abide by their
agreements.
They move the goal posts on pay and gave us ½ of it. They
took away payment for ESH days. They changed overtime calculations.
Now they want normal working on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and every
other bank holiday when other people are with their families.
Enough is enough. Next week we will attend the reconvened Conference.
The position will be to recommend industrial action short of strike
action.
Members have to decide in brigades and guide their officials on
the action they will take and also recognise we will work to our
contracts as per the agreed position by both sides at June 2003.
No doubt brigades may try to stop pay when we are actually working
to the only nationally agreed contractual position. We have shown
good will up to now by accepting unpaid for roles in the thought
that the employers were about to pay us in full and abide by the
June 2003 agreement.
They have failed to abide by the agreement and to pay out. They
are paying partial pay for extended performance.
We have to now look at what we will do if they try to impose a settlement.
We have to consider what we will do should they foolishly escalate
any action by sending people home, docking pay, etc.
We can have this resolved in a matter of minutes. The employers
simply have to abide by the agreement. Our continued acceptance
of the further demands they have made showed good will. That good
will can only stretch so far. And this time the employers have over
stepped the mark.
Conference next week will vote on the action we are to take. The
Executive Council were unanimous. We must be unanimous. We will
be.
No more micky taking. No more demands by the employers. No more
bullying.