Ministers have today published the government’s official response to the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, which gave 58 recommendations in September 2024. The government has accepted the findings of the inquiry, and has set out a plan to…
Union leader slams new firefighter “strike ban” laws
Responding to the government announcing minimum service levels for the fire and rescue service yesterday, Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said:“The Conservative government has announced regulations that amount to a draconian attempt to ban strike action in the…
Breaking: Firefighters’ union responds to “authoritarian” minimum service levels for fire and rescue
The government has today announced Minimum Service Levels regulations for the fire and rescue sector. Employers will be able to impose ‘work notices’ to make staff come in on strike days. The announcement states that during any strike, fire and…
Firefighters deliver decisive mandate for industrial action
Firefighters across the UK have delivered a decisive mandate for strike action, with 88% voting Yes on a 73% turnout. The strike ballot opened on 5 December and closed on 30 January. Two separate simultaneous ballots, in Northern Ireland and…
Fire Brigades Union response to HMICFRS State of Fire report
The Fire Brigades Union has responded to the Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services State of Fire and Rescue 2022 report. Matt Wrack, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: ‘The FBU is disappointed with the…
Firefighters and control staff strike ballot opens
A strike ballot for firefighters and control staff opened on Monday, 5 December. Firefighters and control staff are being balloted on potential strike action on a ‘derisory’ 5% pay offer. That pay offer had recently been rejected by FBU members in a…
Plaque unveiled for Northern Ireland firefighters killed by building collapse
A plaque has been unveiled for two Northern Ireland firefighters who died in the line of duty. The plaque was unveiled close to the 51st anniversary of their deaths, on Sunday, 20 November 2022. Leonard McCartney and Lexie Wylie were killed…
Firefighter’s son remembers his father at 50th Anniversary of Maryhill Road, Glasgow fire
Stephen McGill was only nine years old when his firefighter dad died in the line of duty. His father, Adrian McGill, was tackling a fire on Glasgow’s Maryhill Road. On 18 November 1972, crews were called out to a fire…
New: fire and rescue bosses have used controversial ‘retire and rehire’ practice
New data shows that a controversial practice that allows fire service bosses to dodge tax has been used in 13 fire and rescue services. The government has formally discouraged the practice in England. The practice involves predominantly senior fire officers…
Plaque unveiled for ‘extraordinarily brave’ firefighter who died in line of duty over 100 years ago
A plaque has been unveiled for a Sale firefighter who died in the line of duty in 1909. Superintendent John Johnson Hunt, aged 65, was fighting a fire at the Brooklands Hotel in Sale when a portion of the roof…