Solidarity with striking firefighters this festive season

Last night as the storms hit much of the country our brave firefighters were out in force and today they take to the picket lines once again in their long running battle. They deserve our full support and solidarity. Firefighters in England and Wales will this evening strike for the Seventh time in their long-running dispute with the government over Pensions. They will take action between 6 pm and midnight today, as well as between 6.30pm on December 31st and 12.30am on January 1st. Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary, said: it’s now been Almost two months since the government has been willing to meet for negotiations Despite several invitations from us. Until they do and until they start to actually resolve the dispute, we€™all Keep up the pressure for the sake of public safety and our members Pensions. In a week when the full details of a £7,600 pay rise for MPs” which will Also increase their pensions emerged, firefighters anger at the governments Unworkable, unaffordable and unfair proposals will be even greater. No firefighter wants to strike, but we cannot allow the governments Ludicrous proposals” and outright hypocrisy” to stand. We'll keep on fighting Until the government sees sense and comes back to negotiations. Most firefighters take home approximately £1,650 a month and already pay £320 or more a month into their pensions. From April 2014 this will rise for the third year in a row to over £340 a Month (£4,000 a year). Many firefighters also face a fourth consecutive rise of 2.2% expected in 2015. On top of this, a large section of firefighters face an additional threat to Their pensions as a result of the government refusing to honor long-standing Agreements. As a result, they will not receive the pension they were promised Despite paying into their scheme for many years. The FBU argues that the scheme is one of the most expensive for workers Anywhere in the public or private sector. Contrary to government claims, it is also one of the least generous because Employers pay one of the lowest proportions of pension costs compared to other Public service employers. The union has also said that the expensive pension proposals are designed to Fail because they ignore the physical demands and fitness standards required by The firefighters€™ occupation. Evidence suggests that at least two thirds of the current workforce would be Unable to maintain the fitness standards required by the fire service beyond the Age of 55. Such firefighters would face the prospect of being dismissed or seeing their Pension reduced by almost half. union-news.co.uk/2013/12/prepared-long-struggle-firefighters-dig-pensions-fight/">“We’re Prepared for a long struggle “FBU general secretary Matt Wrack tells Union news Uk

Solidarity with fire fighters on strike tomorrow

Tomorrow the 25th of September Fire fighters up and down the land will be on strike from 12 pm. The strike is for 4 hours from 12 pm in a dispute over pensions. In a FBU press release On Wednesday 25 September 2013, FBU members (except control members) in England and Wales will take part in strike action between 12:00 and 16:00 hours. The English (CLG) Fire Minister, Brandon Lewis, is publicly saying that this strike action is completely unnecessary. It some ways this is true. It is unnecessary because we have given central government every opportunity to avoid it. All we are asking for is for them to come to the negotiating table and to sort out this mess that they have caused by pressing on with the proposals for an unworkable, unaffordable and unsustainable pension scheme. It is a sad day for all fire-fighters when the only option left to us is to take strike action, but unfortunately, after almost two years, where we have exhausted every possible avenue, it seems that this is the only alternative. Taking strike action is always the last resort, and is not a pleasant experience. It is vital that all FBU members support each other through this time. Almost 80% voted in favour of industrial action in A ballot that ended earlier this month, although union officials have left the Strike to the last possible moment to allow for the possibility of a negotiated Settlement. Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary, said: This initial strike Is a warning shot to government. Fire-fighters could not be more serious about Protecting public safety and ensuring fair pensions. Governments in Westminster And Cardiff has simply refused to see sense on these issues. It’s ludicrous to expect fire-fighters to fight fires and rescue families in Their late-50s: the lives of the general public and fire-fighters themselves will Be endangered. None of us want a strike, but we cannot compromise on public and fire-fighter Safety. Fire-fighters in Scotland will not strike this week while union officials are Discussing the Scottish Governments most recent proposals. However, a settlement in Scotland has not yet been found, and the unions Strike ballot could still result in industrial action in Scotland too. The strike will take place for four hours, between noon and 4pm. The governments own figures have shown that thousands of fire-fighters could Face the sack without access to a proper pension simply because they are getting Old.> A recent government review found that over half of current fire-fighters Between the ages of 50 and 54 are no longer able to meet fire and rescue service Fitness standards for fighting fires. Beyond the age of 55, two thirds fail to Meet the standards. And although the government has previously claimed that older fire-fighters Could be moved to less physically demanding roles, FBU research found only a Handful of opportunities in fire and rescue services, meaning Mass sackings would be inevitable. Fire-fighters already pay some of the highest pension contributions in the UK Public or private sector and have seen increases for two consecutive years. The Majority of fire-fighters already pay almost 13% of their salary in contributions With further increases due next year. This will mean some fire-fighters now face An increase six years in a row.Firefighters also argue that the governments financial projections are Flawed. They are based on a prediction of a 1% decline in pension sign-up, but Their own information suggests that over 25% of whole-time fire-fighters Recruited last year chose not to join. The FBU has warned these figures clearly Demonstrate that changes to the scheme are already having an impact and, if the trend continues, that the financial viability of the scheme will be seriously undermined.

Come to socialism 2012 this weekend 3rd 4th November

This weekend sees the socialist party’s annual showcase event a weekend of debate and discussion from some great top speakers. This year will be very good with so much going on in this country and around the globe. Join the fightback. Fight the 1%. Fight for socialism. Socialism 2012 is a crucial event for all those fighting back. We are living in a time of mass movements. Millions have taken part in strikes and demonstrations against the Con Dem government and their cuts. Across Europe, mass resistance is meeting capitalist austerity. The Middle East remains in turmoil. The millions of workers and youth who overthrew dictators refuse to allow their achievement to be snatched back. Across the world the 99% are rising up against the 1%. To win, we need to arm ourselves with the best ideas, the clearest alternatives, and the correct strategy. Socialism 2012 Rallies ________________________________________ Saturday Rally Kick out the Con-Dems Build a 24-hour general strike 6.30pm Saturday 3 November Friends Meeting House, Euston Road Speakers include: Bob Crow, RMT transport union general secretary; Peter Taaffe, Socialist Party general secretary; Hoshoko Letshoba, a South African miners' leader; Keith Morrell, Southampton 'rebel' councillor; and more... Tickets from www.socialism2012.org.uk ________________________________________ Closing rally Rally for Socialism 3pm Sunday 4 November Friends Meeting House, Euston Road Speakers include: Hannah Sell, Socialist party deputy general secretary; Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary ________________________________________ ________________________________________ Register for the Socialism 2012 workshops and debates from Saturday at 2pm at University of London Union, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY Aswell as our excellent rally’s on both nights we have a wide range of workshops and smaller debates focusing on more indepth issues. I will be speaking at the disability one if your interested in hearing about how we can fight the attacks on the disabled. 3pm Saturday Theme Saturday 3pm Speakers Introducing Socialism Is human nature too greedy for socialism? Sean Figg, Socialism 2012 organiser Introducing Marxism Marxist Philosophy: using dialectical materialism Robin Clapp, South West Socialist Party region secretary World Economic Crisis Can capitalism escape economic crisis? Is socialism viable? Peter Taaffe, Socialist Party general secretary Politics Murdochgate scandal & Leveson: a socialist programme for the media Judy Beishon, Socialist Party executive committee Society Are the police just a tool of the government? Nick Chaffey, Southern Socialist Party region secretary Programme 5 years since Northern Rock: a socialist programme for the banks Jane James Welfare vs Workfare How can we stop the ConDems attacks on the disabled? tbc Fight austerity Where next for the fight against austerity? Can we bring the government down? Rob Williams, National Shop Stewards Network & John Mcinally, PCS vice-president Internationalism Sri Lanka: a new epoch of struggle Senan, Tamil Solidarity & Frint Line Socialist Party of Sri Lanka Internationalism Spain in revolt Spanish socialists Science Can we have green growth & do we need it? Pete Dickinson, author Planing for the Planet & Clive Lord, founder member of the Green Party (personal capacity) Other The role of popular culture in normalising sexism Sarah Wrack, Rape is No Joke organiser 10am Sunday Theme Sunday AM Speakers Introducing Socialism How could a planned economy work? Alistair Tice, Yorkshire Socialist Party region secretary Introducing Marxism Historical materialism: how Marxists understand progress Ken Douglas, Socialist Party executive committee Politics Should Scotland be independent? Philip Stott, Socialist Party Scotland Society The Royal delusion Becci Heagney, Socialist Party national committee What we stand for Does the Occupy movement offer a new way to change the world? Sarah Sachs, editor The Socialist Welfare vs Workfare How can we defeat workfare? Paul Callanan, Youth Fight for Jobs & Boycott Workfare Fight austerity How to stop the sell off of the NHS Dr Jackie Grunsell & Roger Davey, Unison Wiltshire & Avon Health Service chair (personal capacity) Internationalism Syria, imperialism and the Arab revolutions Niall Mulholland, CWI & eyewitness to Tahrir Square Internationalism After the Venezuelan elections: what prospect for socialism in Latin America? Tony Saunois, CWI secretary Science The God particle, science and Marxism Pete Mason, author Science, Marxism and the Big Bang Other 1972: the general strike that never was. The lessons for today Other LGBT: 40 years of pride. 1pm Sunday Theme Sunday PM Speakers Introducing Socialism Is the Russian Revolution relevant today? Ben Robinson, Socialist Party national committee Introducing Marxism An introduction to Marxist economics Lenny Shail, Socialist Party national committee World economic crisis What future for the European Uniion? Lynn Walsh, editor Socialism Today Politics Is the Labour Party a vehicle for socialism? Owen Jones, journalist & author of 'Chavs' & Clive Heemskerk, Socialist Party executive committee Society The Hillsborough cover up: what does it say about the role of the police, media and government? Tony Mulhearn, Liverpool mayoral candidate What we stand for Immigration: a socialist programme Hannah Sell, Socialist Party deputy general secretary Welfare vs Workfare Scroungers? The role of unemployment in capitalist economy & the ideology of the 'benefit culture' Dave Griffiths, West Midlands Socialist Party region secretary Fight austerity How can councillors fight the cuts? Harry Smith, Liverpool 47 & Dave Nellist, TUSC chair Internationalism Campaign Kazakhstan Clare Doyle, CWI Internationalism South Africa erupts: what does the miners struggle represent? South African miner & eyewitness to Rustenburg Other How do we combat the growth of the far right? United or popular fronts? Paula Mitchell, London Socialist Party region secretary

Big step forward as RMT officially backs TUSC

As we move slowly towards the coming local elections and elections in London a big step forward has recently occurred with the RMT union publically backing TUSC candidates and allowing its branch’s across the country to back TUSC candidates standing in elections. I am so pleased about this and hopefully will lead the way for more moves of trade unionists standing for TUSC and giving working people a voice.

The national executive of the RMT union has voted to back candidates of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition in the London elections on 3 May.
RMT general secretary, Bob Crow, announced the decision to applause at a rally to launch TUSC’s election campaign to win seats on the London Assembly.
The executive also voted to allow its union branches around the country to back other TUSC candidates in the local council elections which take place on the same day.
Prior to taking the decision, the RMT executive had written to every single branch in the Greater London area to ask if there were any objections to the proposal to back TUSC. There were none.
Bob Crow said:
“While Labour leader Ed Militant may get up and condemn the budget for the rich, what would they do under the same circumstances? Exactly the same, except over a longer period of time. A hundred and seven years ago this union moved a resolution to say we want a party of labour and to get rid of liberalism; now we have to say we need to get rid of Labour and we need a party of trade unionists and socialist.”
Speaking at the same meeting, Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack pointed out that the privatization of the London fire service had started under Labour.
“The FBU rejects the whole austerity agenda”, he said. “We may be small but we can grow. Our message can get an echo – the alternative is a dire future that offers nothing to millions.”
RMT President Alex Gordon, who is the leading candidate on the TUSC London list said:
“The RMT has a proud tradition of fighting politically. There is nothing to be ashamed about being a trade unionist and a socialist – millions of people out there are looking for an alternative. Labour is ashamed of its background. With TUSC, there will be no running away from supporting strikers – it’s on the tin. They’ve got the millionaires – we’ve got the millions who are deprived of a voice”
The backing given to TUSC candidates by the RMT national executive and its general secretary, the FBU London Region and its general secretary, represents a significant step in the building of a left-wing alternative to the Labour Party. This should now be publisised widely and to the wider labour movement that trade unionists do have a voice again and TUSC can be that vehicle for them. Everyone can get involved in TUSC whetheryour in work out of work a pensioner a socialist or a trade unionist this formation can be a stepping stone towards the eventual formation of a new mass workers party we feel.

It is crucial to get official union support on board as not only does this bring the name to a wider layer of workers but also gives us credibility as a force. Many still in the labour party who are disillusioned understandably tell me often well we would leave labour and vote for someone else if there is a credible alternative. Well TUSC hopes and is taking big bold new steps to being just that. With your support and the wider class support TUSC can turn from a minority party to a major force in this country in the coming period.

You can find out more about TUSC and our policies at
www.tusc.org.uk

NO to divide and rule, all unions must stand together for 30th Nov

Today we learn of the fact that the FBU will not be balloting its members on proposed pension reforms strike ballots like other public sector unions. This is a crying shame and a disapointment to hear as we approach what could still be one of the biggest strikes ever in the UK since 1926.
As a socialist we urge all union members of public sector unions faced with a ballot at the moment to vote a big yes this week and not be taken in by any divide and rule tactics this government will try and use on ordinary workers. Dont let your leaders take you fora ride keep the pressure on for industrial action. Only by standing together united we can win this battle and knock this government back off its perch.
We heard th other week of Brendan Barbour meeting tory ministers at the tory party conference for secret talks. We demand no secret talks and to keep ordinary rank-and-file informed and not hide the facts.

A striking committtee in the workplace can be a way around increasing beurocracy and remain the strikes democratic with ordinay workers. Below is a piece from union news UK and a bit from Matt Wrack on the FBU's position.

by Pete Murray of Union news UK - 19th October 2011, 12.16 BST
FBU members will not take part in the strikes on November 30th.

The decision not to ballot for industrial action, taken by members of the union’s executive committee, does not rule out strikes in the future. The news comes after the government made a key concession on changes to the fire fighters’ pension scheme.

In notes posted earlier this week on the FBU website, General Secretary Matt Wrack says Treasury ministers had agreed to extend negotiations over the “cost ceilings” on pensions. He says: “we have stated that these could set a financial ‘straight jacket’ for discussions around pensions. We have raised these concerns with various ministers, explaining our view that setting these without firstly considering other issues would clearly undermine the legitimacy of any discussions.”

The government-commissioned Hutton report on the future of public sector pensions had recommended imposing upper limits on the cost of individual schemes in an effort to limit taxpayers’ exposure to what ministers regard as “unfunded liabilities”. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, LibDem minister Danny Alexander said in June that the government intended to extend Lord Hutton’s proposals to individual pension schemes, making each scheme subject to separate negotiations and – potentially – different timetables. Unions have repeatedly challenged government claims that the public sector schemes are unaffordable in the long term.

UnionNews understands that the government and a number of local authority employers have agreed to begin a 12-week consultation on cost limits being considered for the fire fighters’ scheme. While this will provide scope for FBU negotiators to revise some of the most damaging aspects in the Coalition’s pensions agenda – such as proposed changes to the retirement age for fire fighters – it also means that the FBU will not be in a position to notify employers of a “trade dispute” (as required by the anti-union legislation covering strike ballots) until that consultation is completed early next year.

An official source said the government “would have been crazy not to try” to make concessions to some of the 14 unions planning joint strike action next month, in order to reduce the impact of what is still likely to be the largest single mobilisation of workers in the UK for a generation. The union is expected to issue a public statement calling on FBU members to support any action on the 30th of November in whatever way they can.

A statement by FBU general secretary Matt Wrack is here




October 19, 2011
CIRCULAR 2011HOC0517MW

19 October 2011

TO: ALL MEMBERS (HOME ADDRESSES)

Dear Brother/Sister

HANDS OFF OUR PENSIONS: LATEST POSITION – 19 OCTOBER 2011

The Executive Council met yesterday (October 18) to assess the current situation around our campaign to defend pensions. This included report backs from discussions at our Committees across the UK as well as reports from the most recent meetings with Government ministers and officials.

The most significant development to be considered was the decision of the Westminster Government to comply with the FBU request not to set an immediate cost ceiling for the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme. This clearly does not resolve the issue in any way. It does however offer us an opportunity to try influence Government before any such cost ceiling is set. Among TUC trade unions, this has put us in a unique position since cost ceilings have now been set for the main public sector schemes.

A major concern of our colleagues in other unions has been a refusal by Government to engage in serious dialogue or genuine negotiations in the other pension scheme talks. Frustration at this is a key feature of the current campaigns in a number of unions. In relation to the Firefighters scheme it would be dishonest of us to make such a claim at this time. Ministers have met us on several occasions; have agreed to all meetings requested; have currently provided all information asked for and have allocated actuaries and pension officials to assist in talks.

It is important to note that none of this means the core issues will be resolved – there remain very serious disagreements. It simply means that in terms of current talks we cannot say that Government are refusing to engage in a dialogue. Most significantly, ministers have agreed to a very important demand from the FBU i.e. not to set the cost ceiling immediately.

As a result of these and other considerations, the Executive Council concluded that there should not be an immediate move to industrial action. Such action may become necessary and the next few weeks will be crucial in assessing the Government position before such a decision is made.



Best wishes.

Yours fraternally

MATT WRACK

GENERAL SECRETARY


FBU