Fire Brigades Union:

2nd September 2004

Where do we go from here?

The dispute on pay has been settled. Did we achieve what the initial demand was? Clearly not. However what we arrived at was a far better deal than is being agreed in many workplaces at present, but we also have to look back to the meeting held in Bournemouth on 4th July 2002 when John Prescott turned up scurried in the back door and put a stop to a rumoured deal said to be worth around 16%. It seems we could have had a settlement a long time ago without any strikes or industrial action if Prescott and Co had kept out of it. Something to keep in mind.

Throughout the dispute there was discussion, debate and disagreement on what our tactics should be. Some for example wanted action short of strike action some felt we should be immediately out on continuous strike action. This has to be considered when we look back at whether those who set in place our tactics got it wrong or if in some respects it was a no-win situation given the wide variety of suggestions on what would be most successful. We also have to consider of course what would be most successful in the shortest time period.

I am sure we will have many long debates for years to come on what we could have done differently and where we made mistakes. I welcome the opportunity to do that. However it is also now that we should be looking at what we did right and where we can use those positive lessons in future both locally and regionally.

We were told just recently that we would never get a yes vote again and that the FBU was a spent force. This has proved to be wrong and we would have returned not only another yes vote but one with both a high turn out and a high percentage for that yes. Would it have been in the high 80’s? Well I don’t know if it would have been 87 or 81 or any number between but I know it would have grown from the 72.69% ‘yes’ brigade officials indicated in London before the ballot started. This we must take heart from. Whenever doubters in and outside the union fail to believe in the membership they should remember that the membership delivered. Again, and again, and again.

What else have we learnt? The press are biased! Never really a surprise. They didn’t support us despite the public who read, watched and listened to their media supporting us throughout the dispute. The public said we perform well, the last opinion poll in the Telegraph gave us the highest rating of all occupations and the Institute of Directors gave us the highest rating in their opinion for our ability and performance. Those who believe the print media didn’t support us simply shouldn’t buy their papers. Why is it I still see on stations newspapers who’s editors and owners stabbed us in the back at every turn? Some lessons have it seems yet to sink in.

Officials learnt that networking across the region was very successful. The exchange of ideas was vital. Many of the posters, documents etc produced for the region were taken up nationally either formally or simply adapted. This is as it should be. No one has a monopoly of effective ideas and we need to exchange those we have. I hope this continues and grows.

We can move forward knowing that there is no will among other ‘unions’ in the fire service to fight for anything. The RFU, who throughout the dispute acted with no spine, no vision, no guts and no ability to improve their members conditions in fact lost members despite what they have been saying lately. Their membership fell throughout the dispute. And so it should. They take money under false pretences. Their finances are still falling; still in the red again this year. Soon their finances could read the same as the number of positive things they have achieved for the fire service. Zero.

The brigades in the region have seen a change in their officials during the dispute. They took over at a difficult time and there are only 3 brigade officials who are in post who were there at the beginning of the dispute. Congratulations to both the brigade officials and branch officials who put in so much work during the dispute and continue to do so. And thanks must go to the regional and sectional officials. On behalf of members to all officials thank you for your efforts. We go forward now with officials who have learnt much during the dispute and grown in ability and confidence. An advantage for us all in the future.

A long time ago we set up at regional level a position where we would not re-invent the wheel. The 6 Brigades all had a led to take on an issue. This will help us in future to work better together and to use the best practice sub committee to select the best from our 6 brigades and use them to work from. We must strive for the best practices in all 6 brigades and not be forced into accepting the lowest level of conditions some might wish us to have. To assist in this we have already planned two schools for later this year details of which will be circulated to all members shortly.

Looking forward we have to have the debate on what our hours should be. 42 is longer than most other occupations. We have to look at ensuring family friendly working practices and work-life balance options are implemented. This is in addition to ensuring modernisation is in fact on our terms and in the manner in which we want the fire service modernised. That modernisation should include things such as telemetric provision for firefighters on the fire ground, the latest hydraulic cutting equipment, pre-training for roles rather than post training. We are all for modernisation but we may not always agree on the direction it takes or the priorities.

Moving forwards we have to deal with those who failed to support us. They are many and varied. Members will I am sure identify those who failed us and act accordingly. It is also vital that we support those who supported us and acted for us. Too often we fail to see who it actually is who let us down in the midst of the emotion and frustration bound to occur during a dispute such as ours.

Some members during the dispute wanted the entire EC, head office and all officials removed. If that’s to be the case who will replace them. If people want to stand in any election that is democracy and as it must be. But candidates must have the ability to do the job on behalf of the members. We have to look forward and keep in mind that we must identify who, in the words of one member on a picket line, the ‘enemy’ are. This is a time for building up and moving forwards not breaking down and moving in circles. The ‘enemy’ are those who in the ODPM who wanted to scupper every deal and those on the employers side who were out to smash the FBU. It’s those who should be the target of our wrath and removed from office. Shamefully, the majority, members of the Labour Party.

To those who for example are critical of the TUC and other unions I must emphasise the work done by the TUC to settle the dispute. And members will recall that by this AGM in December every branch in the region must have affiliated to the local trades council. Many have learnt in the dispute that we can have direct influence only when we are active and involved. This region has seen the success which results from being active and involved. Long may it continue.

The Strategy Advisory Group, and the campaign co-ordinators were a success. This will be maintained in the region within our 6 brigades for the benefit of members and officials.

The use of email, texting, mobile phones, and the internet was also put to good use and will continue. The taking part in opinion polls, interacting with the public and councillors are all skills evolved in the dispute and which can be used in the future. Another lesson taken over the last 2 ½ years.

We had good industrial relations in the majority of brigades in the region. This we will build on and try to improve those where they have been less effective. Industrial relations which work effectively save a great deal of time and effort and are beneficial to both employees and employers. Those employers who believe they could have had better industrial relations in their brigades should look around and take note. It works if you work at it.

We have a new grey book (I recall those who prophesised a single sheet of A4) of 68 pages the contents of which we have to learn rapidly. Fortunately the new Discipline and Grievance sections are far better than was initially proposed by the employers and in many aspects better than we have previously had anyway and there is a seminar in two months time on these in the region.

There is a great deal to look forward to and to deal with. One thing that must never escape us, now or in the future, is that whenever asked to vote yes; we did. Whenever asked to deliver the membership did. Whenever a fight was needed we won that fight. If nothing else is taken from the last 2 ½ years then members must at least accept that unity IS strength. Its not a cliché; it’s a fact. That is how we must now face the future.

In unity

Dean Mills