FBU Conference 2017

[SuperCynic]

No one asked me if I would like to promote these rags. :mad:

The other newspapers are no better but for f*ck sake!

When was the last time the FBU asked you about anything?

[spangle]

In years gone by this site would have seen more activity on conference....an unwillingness to post and share or is the demographic of this site unrepresentative of the current UK FIRE.

[SoCo]

Or is it the lack of information coming from the FBU

[bill.advanced]

In years gone by this site would have seen more activity on conference....an unwillingness to post and share or is the demographic of this site unrepresentative of the current UK FIRE.

The problem I think spangle is basicly how the FBU are perceived by the membership.
Like the rest of the trade union movement the FBU have been reduced at times to being no more than spectators, with a membership who have lost faith in the ability of their union to offset the policies of national government or local authority expendeture cuts.

In my time we had a respect for the FBU and its officers. Don't get me wrong we did not always agree with what went on, but when push came to shove, we always supported our union.
After years of austerity and a weak union unable to have any effect on policy, the goings on at national conference do not have the same level of importance as they did in my time.

How much longer the fire service will be served by the FBU is very much up for debate, but IMHO the fire service and primarily its members will be in a much worse place without the FBU. Even a weak FBU, is better than no FBU IMHO.

[Jojo]

The problem I think spangle is basicly how the FBU are perceived by the membership.
Like the rest of the trade union movement the FBU have been reduced at times to being no more than spectators, with a membership who have lost faith in the ability of their union to offset the policies of national government or local authority expendeture cuts.

In my time we had a respect for the FBU and its officers. Don't get me wrong we did not always agree with what went on, but when push came to shove, we always supported our union.
After years of austerity and a weak union unable to have any effect on policy, the goings on at national conference do not have the same level of importance as they did in my time.

How much longer the fire service will be served by the FBU is very much up for debate, but IMHO the fire service and primarily its members will be in a much worse place without the FBU. Even a weak FBU, is better than no FBU IMHO.

Unfortunately a weak FBU can do terrible damage. If management in Scotland can buy our grey book conditions with the support of a weak FBU then where will that leave us? Would we still be part of a national union if we no longer share any negotiating bodies? Will we see a Scotland only union? If that happens we are at the whim of any daft idea that the management think of and the only FBU response we've heard on station so far is "they'll get it anyway so we might as well get a payment for it" that is the sort of impact a weak FBU can have and that worries me

[bill.advanced]

I take your point jojo, but due to the constraints placed upon the trade union movement by the industrial relations act of 1982 and subsequent updates of this act to some extent you are in a Scottish FBU due to the setting up of the Scottish Parliament and devolution.

The sad fact is the trade union movement are now passive onlookers with no real power, and their members are dwindling each year. But my wife works for a national retail outlet were unions are not allowed. They recently done away with enhanced payment for Sunday's and shift allowances with the brush of a pen. One of her friends has seen her wages drop from £16,000 to £13,500 even with the recent living wage increase to £8.50 per hour. I still think that the FBU in its current state is better than no union. But I fully appreciate your frustration.

[brumble49]

https://www.fbu.org.uk/circular/2017hoc0...rence-2017