11-22-2012, 07:17 PM
Nick Harrison has resigned as Brigade Chair of West Mids
Permission has been given to publish his resignation letter which was sent to Brigade and Regional officials last week.
Hello
After careful consideration , which included talking to fellow FBU colleagues and family , I have reluctantly decided to resign as Brigade Chair. And also as an FBU rep in all forms. (Borough and Branch)
A number of developments and issues have caused me to question the direction that the FBU both locally and nationally is going in. At a time of falling membership numbers , reduced finances and unprecedented cuts to the Fire service , it is vital that clear leadership , unity and support from all quarters is forthcoming.
Unfortunately I have heard and witnessed things for many months now that completely go against the principles of a union.
Intimidation , bullying , arrogance , ignorance and deceit. Most of which appear commonplace within certain areas of the FBU. And all of which will be strongly denied…..but if we are honest , we know they have existed for quite some time.
Games are being played that undermine and distract from the important work we should be concentrating on. The FBU is spiralling into chaos as it targets the wrong people…the people who dare to speak up and challenge those that are pissed with power. And in turn, are letting the members of the FBU down. It has done more to disunite members and officials rather than galvanise and motivate those on the ground that volunteer to work tirelessly and endlessly for it’s members.
A Union that sees fit to deselect an experienced Official who has been a fantastic, hardworking professional servant to the members for many years. And who has endured months and months of awful treatment by people within the FBU. Who has been offered no support through a stressful time, who has been shown less compassion from her Union than by her employer….and the E.C member who was present at the meeting when this was announced – who knows exactly how good this person is and how hard they have worked – sat there in silence and offered no words of defence for this person.
A Union that sees fit to close ranks around an unpopular Official that, for sometime now, has done nothing to try and address the issues that have led to them being the subject of a Vote of No Confidence from our Brigade Committee and Fire Control – but has distanced themselves further from fellow Officials by continually breaking Union rules and encouraging an atmosphere of bad feeling that is not conducive to a productive working Union.
A Union that sees fit to delay and ignore repeated requests for clarity on voting rights at Regional level which is desperately needed to allow the Region to operate and function.
A Union that threatens an Official to withdraw the support they have been giving to an area of their Region that is under extreme pressures from the Fire Authority. Or they will face sanctions that will have a direct impact on FBU members.
I could write so much more but , as we have come to expect, it will fall on deaf ears as usual. And because of that, I can no longer commit myself 100% to the FBU as I have always done.
I believe that by staying in my post as Brigade Chair for the West Mids the members may be compromised by any ill feeling that senior Officials of the FBU now have towards me…. So my position has become untenable.
So I would just like to finish by saying that there are some really fantastic Officials and Reps in this Region that deserve far more support and credit than they are getting at present from the FBU.
It has been an honour to serve the members of the West Mids who are facing an uncertain future and the reality of very hard times.
Yours sincerely
Nick Harrison
Permission has been given to publish his resignation letter which was sent to Brigade and Regional officials last week.
Hello
After careful consideration , which included talking to fellow FBU colleagues and family , I have reluctantly decided to resign as Brigade Chair. And also as an FBU rep in all forms. (Borough and Branch)
A number of developments and issues have caused me to question the direction that the FBU both locally and nationally is going in. At a time of falling membership numbers , reduced finances and unprecedented cuts to the Fire service , it is vital that clear leadership , unity and support from all quarters is forthcoming.
Unfortunately I have heard and witnessed things for many months now that completely go against the principles of a union.
Intimidation , bullying , arrogance , ignorance and deceit. Most of which appear commonplace within certain areas of the FBU. And all of which will be strongly denied…..but if we are honest , we know they have existed for quite some time.
Games are being played that undermine and distract from the important work we should be concentrating on. The FBU is spiralling into chaos as it targets the wrong people…the people who dare to speak up and challenge those that are pissed with power. And in turn, are letting the members of the FBU down. It has done more to disunite members and officials rather than galvanise and motivate those on the ground that volunteer to work tirelessly and endlessly for it’s members.
A Union that sees fit to deselect an experienced Official who has been a fantastic, hardworking professional servant to the members for many years. And who has endured months and months of awful treatment by people within the FBU. Who has been offered no support through a stressful time, who has been shown less compassion from her Union than by her employer….and the E.C member who was present at the meeting when this was announced – who knows exactly how good this person is and how hard they have worked – sat there in silence and offered no words of defence for this person.
A Union that sees fit to close ranks around an unpopular Official that, for sometime now, has done nothing to try and address the issues that have led to them being the subject of a Vote of No Confidence from our Brigade Committee and Fire Control – but has distanced themselves further from fellow Officials by continually breaking Union rules and encouraging an atmosphere of bad feeling that is not conducive to a productive working Union.
A Union that sees fit to delay and ignore repeated requests for clarity on voting rights at Regional level which is desperately needed to allow the Region to operate and function.
A Union that threatens an Official to withdraw the support they have been giving to an area of their Region that is under extreme pressures from the Fire Authority. Or they will face sanctions that will have a direct impact on FBU members.
I could write so much more but , as we have come to expect, it will fall on deaf ears as usual. And because of that, I can no longer commit myself 100% to the FBU as I have always done.
I believe that by staying in my post as Brigade Chair for the West Mids the members may be compromised by any ill feeling that senior Officials of the FBU now have towards me…. So my position has become untenable.
So I would just like to finish by saying that there are some really fantastic Officials and Reps in this Region that deserve far more support and credit than they are getting at present from the FBU.
It has been an honour to serve the members of the West Mids who are facing an uncertain future and the reality of very hard times.
Yours sincerely
Nick Harrison
Be who you are and say what you feel...because those who matter... don't mind...and those who mind... don't matter.
Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.
Opinions are like arseholes; everybody has one, but nobody wants to hear anyone elses.
Being honest may not get you a lot of friends but it'll always get you the right ones.
Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.
Opinions are like arseholes; everybody has one, but nobody wants to hear anyone elses.
Being honest may not get you a lot of friends but it'll always get you the right ones.
