UK
FBU on ‘industrial footing’ as general secretary prepared for strikes this year
Fire Brigades Union general secretary Steve Wright has said his union is putting its members on “an industrial footing” amid continuing cuts to the fire service.
In an exclusive interview with LabourList, Wright said that he thinks the union “may get to [the] point” of taking industrial action this year – and hit out at a “return to austerity” under the Labour government.
“We’ve lost over 100 firefighters in the last year, so the trajectory of where we’re going is still dangerous cuts to our frontline. They need to start seeing changes and investment in making firefighting safer.”
Reflecting on Labour’s 18 months since returning to Downing Street, Wright said: “If Keir Starmer wants to save his job, I think they need to be bold and they need to start investing in public services.
“People need to see the change they voted for. I certainly knocked on doors, as did many of our officials and members during that election, on the basis that there would be change in this country. We’re not seeing that.”
When asked whether he is prepared to take strike action if conditions do not improve for firefighters, Wright said: “100 percent – and I will say that to anyone, we are putting our members, our union, on an industrial footing.
“We are facing cuts in my old service that I worked in for 20 years in my 25 years in the fire service in Oxfordshire, with five fire stations being closed. 42 people are being made redundant, people are losing their homes – and it will definitely put our members’ lives at risk and members of the public at risk.
“We will fight that industrially – if we can’t make progress politically, which we will continue to do, we will make sure our members are prepared and ready.”
You can read our full exclusive interview with Steve Wright later this week to mark his first anniversary as FBU general secretary.
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