London Region revolts against FBU leaders 

The capitulation by Fire Brigades Union leaders to employers/government demands on pay and conditions has led to a revolt against the leadership by the union’s London region.

The region, which represents a key section of the membership, says it has no confidence in the union negotiators, including general secretary Andy Gilchrist, the national officers and the executive council. It has demanded a recall of the FBU conference and a campaign to “reclaim the union” for the membership.

FBU leaders stand accused of misleading the membership in June this year when they persuaded them to accept a half-baked deal after a series of strikes in support of the claim for a living wage.

Promoted as an honourable settlement, it was clear that major cuts in conditions and fire cover would follow to finance for any pay rise.  This is what New Labour ministers insisted on from the start.

The cat is now out of the bag, as the London region has confirmed. Behind the employers’ decision to withhold half of the pay rise due under stage 2 of the agreement are a series of changes supported by the FBU leadership which seriously weaken firefighters’ conditions. Stage 2 contains:

• proposals to freeze and phase out long service pay, which will produce a  cut in basic pay for FBU members and reduce their pensions
• plans for a cut in the rate of pay for a number of ranks/roles   

A resolution passed unanimously by the London region says: “The Fire Brigades Union is facing the biggest crisis in its history. Our leadership have completely surrendered the pay campaign to the employers and the government. They are in the process of giving away hard won conditions of service without any proper debate and without a mandate. They are in the process of ripping up long-standing conference policies without holding a union conference.

 “We are aware of the huge anger and frustration which exists among London members of the FBU. We urge London members NOT to resign from the union but to stay and fight for a union that is democratic and defends the interests of its members. We pledge that the London regional Committee will do all in its power to reclaim this union for its members.”

After passing a series of no-confidence votes, the London regional committee added: “FBU members were given misleading information regarding the settlement of the pay dispute. This misleading information … ensured that re-call conference in June voted to agree the employers offer.”

The executive council has refused to allow a re-call conference to discuss the Stage 2 proposals. Instead, it is “consulting” on the delayed pay rise, bypassing union branches and going directly to individual members.

The resolution passed in London says it is confident that the majority of members oppose stage 2 proposals and that the executive has not properly represented their views. At least two regions have been absent from recent executive meetings, adding to their argument that the meetings are undemocratic.

Before the no-confidence motion, the regional committee had already demanded a renegotiation of stage 2 to maintain and enhance existing conditions.

The crisis in the FBU results from the refusal of Gilchrist and other leaders to confront New Labour and its public services agenda, which is based on cost-cutting, job losses and private sector profiteering. Rather than appeal for support during the dispute, they left the FBU isolated and scraped together an agreement that apparently got them off the hook.

But the membership is refusing to pay the price, as the London region has shown, and moves are growing to replace the leadership as soon as possible. What FBU and other trade unionists require are leaders who are not simply more militant and democratic but who are clear about New Labour.

Gilchrist and other union leaders want their members to believe they can “do business” with the Blair government and get some concessions. From the railways to the health service, to the fire service and education, the reality is much starker.

Trade unionists need leaders who will lead a campaign to reject New Labour completely and to open up discussions about alternative ways to represent workers’ interests and policies that challenge the brutality of the market economy.

Movement for a Socialist Future
13 November 2003