May
2006
|
May
2006 |
| Background | ||
| 1 |
The FBU is taking strike action in Hertfordshire, starting with 8 hours withdrawal of labour on the 15th and 20th May. Their action is in protest at reduction in the establishment of wholetime posts, but there are no wholetime redundancies, and the closure of two RDS stations and the redundancy of 23 RDS personnel. | |
| 2 |
Due to commitments elsewhere and the requirement for the Fire and Rescue Service to be self-reliant, there will be no armed forces deployment during the FBU strikes. | |
| 3 |
The Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) is understood to have asked their members to help out with appliances, equipment and volunteers to provide cover in Hertfordshire. RFU members are being approached to provide cover in Hertfordshire. | |
| RFU Policy-General | ||
4 |
The RFU’s policy is to support contingency plans for resilience arrangements to cover national/international emergencies, natural disasters and other threats to life and property, subject to the following: |
|
| i) | Long-term reform of the fire and rescue service, with real opportunities for more effective and efficient use of RDS personnel. | |
| ii) | Reform of working practices, duty systems and cover arrangements, through justifiable, objective and impartial risk assessment. | |
| iii) | Implementation of the recommendations of the Retained Review. | |
| iv) | Reform of industrial relations, advocacy for RDS personnel and full participation in national and local collective bargaining, without hindrance. | |
| v) | Safeguards from bullying, harassment, intimidation and the continued treatment of RDS personnel as second-class firefighters. | |
| vi) | Maintenance of cover in areas from which RDS personnel are taken for contingency arrangements. | |
| The RFU has been pursuing these policies with other stakeholders but, as yet, no agreement has been reached. | ||
|
RFU Policy-Hertfordshire |
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| 5. | We do not support short-term strike-breaking, without long-term reform: | |
| i) | We believe the current problems in Hertfordshire could have been avoided, and a more efficient, effective and economic Service could have been provided, if the reforms we seek had been adopted previously. | |
| ii) | We do not support members volunteering for duty in Hertfordshire until vital issues such as insurance, pension liabilities and compensation for loss of earnings for those volunteering to serve in Hertfordshire have been resolved in writing. We have raised these issues with the National Employers and will be meeting with them later this week. | |
| iii) | The RFU is currently working on a draft Memorandum of Understanding on the participation of members for international and national contingency arrangements and resilience. We intend to seek agreement from CFOA on this policy. | |
|
Summary-Advice to Members |
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| 6. |
The RFU has been trying hard to find a way forward so that we can support the contingency arrangements for covering Hertfordshire that provide: |
|
| i) |
Written confirmation to each volunteer on conditions of service, injury pay, pensions, etc-plus guarantees on safeguards against future harassment and intimidation. |
|
| ii) | Written assurances that Hertfordshire and the rest of the Fire and Rescue Service will introduce real and lasting reforms recommended by Bain and the Retained Review, that provide more flexible working arrangements and opportunities for RDS personnel. | |
| iii) | Written assurances that would end restrictive practices and the status quo. | |
| iv) | A review of the proposals to close two retained stations in Hertfordshire until the more flexible working arrangements have been considered. | |
| We have not received agreement on the above proposals, so the RFU is prevented from supporting members volunteering in Hertfordshire. Members should be aware that their support in Hertfordshire would endorse the closure of two retained stations, without considering the full options for real reform. | ||
| We have shown we are supportive of reform in two national strikes and local strikes such as the one in Suffolk last year. But, little has changed-we advised the national employers, CFOA and ODPM after the Suffolk strikes that we will not be used again without guarantees of real reform. | ||
| 7. | RFU officials have held a meeting with our members in Hertfordshire, and they will be working to their contracts and subject to continued RFU advice and support. | |
| Derek
Chadbon National General Secretary |
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