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FBU at war with New Labour

The leaders of the Fire Brigades Union are disappointed and even surprised at the outcome of their long-running negotiations with their local authority employers. They shouldn't be. This outcome was on the cards because the government has made it plain at least since last June, that it does not want a compromise with firefighters.

New Labour's agenda was and remains the destruction of the bargaining power of the FBU and the "modernisation" of the fire service along commercial, cost-driven lines. Every statement by Prescott, Raynsford, Brown and Blair has made this absolutely clear. This is in line with their plans for the whole public sector.

FBU leaders have started and stopped strikes time after time to try and find a negotiated settlement. All to no avail. The government/employers' agenda remains the same: total flexibility, the end of national fire cover standards and absolute power for management. It has declared war on the FBU.

By rejecting this, the FBU disputes the entire economic and political policy of this reactionary, business-driven government. That is why there is no compromise possible. Either the government is defeated or the FBU will be severely weakened.

Under the conditions where New Labour will use the war on Iraq to blackmail firefighters, a further one-day strike will not change the position. The FBU cannot defeat the government and the state on its own. Therefore, the FBU has no choice but to unite its struggle with the anti-war movement. Both struggles have a common ground - against the policy of profits first, people a long way last.

The recalled delegate conference on March 19 should support the executive in rejecting the New Labour/employers' proposals which if accepted will undermine the FBU in a dramatic way.

Firefighters should also call on other unions to support their strikes to prevent the destruction of the FBU. All unions that have pledged backing should be asked publicly to deliver solidarity action by their members, regardless of the anti-union laws.

The conference should condemn New Labour's planned attack on Iraq and call on firefighters to join other trade unionists in strike action against the war. At the same time, the conference should suspend the FBU's payments to New Labour pending a discussion on future political representation.

Such a strategy would remove the danger of the isolation of the FBU and create a platform for discussing not only how to defeat the New Labour government but also where the labour and trade union movement goes from here. That is what the Voices for the Future/Beyond New Labour conference on April 12 will discuss. Register now to participate in this important event. For more details see www.socialistfuture.org.uk/voices.htm

Movement for a Socialist Future
13 March 2003