ESSEX FBU STRIKE BALLOT ‘Don’t doubt the outcome’ – warns Brigade Secretary Rogers

0
1645
The FBU marching through London last year against frontline cuts to the fire service
The FBU marching through London last year against frontline cuts to the fire service

Essex fire crews have given formal legal notice of a strike ballot in a dispute over frontline cuts and changes forced through without proper negotiation or agreement.

The legal timetable governing ballots would typically mean no strike action can take place until seven days after the ballot closes on 13 June.

Essex Fire Brigades Union is awaiting a positive response to its proposals for third-party assistance in resolving industrial relations issues in Essex.

The union has offered to involve both the national fire service conciliators and ACAS under nationally agreed procedures.

The union says the legal notices and ballot timetable still leave more than enough time for detailed talks to resolve the dispute but warns the ballot is necessary because the fire authority is pressing ahead with impositions and plans for further cuts.

There have already been major frontline cuts across Essex fire service.

Wholetime specialist rescue crews have been removed from Colchester, Harlow, Basildon, Grays and Southend.

Half the wholetime fire engine crews at Brentwood and the wholetime crew from Canvey Island have been cut with more cuts threatened.

Meanwhile, millions of pounds of tax-payers’ money continues to be diverted from the frontline service into the HQ property expansion and IT programme.

Mick Rogers, FBU Brigade Secretary, said: ‘Essex fire crews have suggested a way forward to resolve the issues in dispute.

‘But cuts and imposition of changes have left us with no alternative but to start balloting for strike action.

‘The legal timetable for ballots is such that there is more than enough time to resolve the issues between us. Any potential strike action is some way off.

‘I would urge the fire authority to respond positively to our proposals to broker an agreement using the nationally agreed procedures rather than ploughing on regardless.

‘They should be in no doubt as to the resolute determination of their own fire crews on these issues.’

The Fire Brigades Union has set out the details of the dispute in full in a letter to the fire authority so they can be in no doubt as to what the issues are.

Essex fire crews are warning that one in five frontline crews will have been cut since 2008 if further cuts being demanded by managers go ahead.

A report by Chief Fire Officer David Johnson and Finance Director Mike Clayton, presented to councillors on Wednesday 9th May (paper EFA/ 051/12), confirmed 100 full-time fire station based crews have been axed since 2008 with retained ‘on call’ crews cut by 60.

Further cuts now being planned will bring total losses of around one in five frontline firefighters since 2008.

The report also reveals that over the same period backroom staffing has risen by 7.5% – from 238 in 2008 to 256 today.

The balance between frontline firefighters and backroom staff now stands at only 3:1.

This is despite government pledges by CLG Minister and Essex MP Eric Pickles to protect frontline services as a priority.

The latest budget review shows underspends of £1.6 million on wholetime firefighters, £206,000 on retained and £136,000 on control firefighters.

According to the budget review, tabled on May 9th, ‘the main areas where expenditure exceeded the most recent forecast are in ICT.’

FBU Brigade Secretary Rogers said: ‘Once again we are seeing the frontline targeted for further cuts despite there being a budget underspend on all frontline crews and millions being spent on the corporate expansion at HQ.

‘The current round of cuts would mean even fewer firefighters spread more thinly across Essex.

‘Essex fire authority simply cannot go on targeting the frontline for further cuts.

‘The cuts would inevitably put the safety of the public and the remaining fire crews at increased risk.

‘There is genuine anger among the frontline crews about what is happening.

‘The fire authority should be in no doubt about the strength of feeling on this issue or about the outcome of a strike ballot.

‘I would urge them to take the time available to reconsider their priorities.

‘They should not stick their heads in the sand, the real concerns of professional frontline crews are not going away.’

Meanwhile, the FBU says there is a risk of a cover-up of alleged serious financial mismanagement and other practices at Essex fire service after the District Auditor says she will not investigate any allegations prior to 2010.

The auditor and the fire authority are refusing to disclose a previous report into financial concerns that continues to be kept secret despite numerous Freedom of Information Act requests.

The union is calling for a robust, transparent and wholly independent investigation into all of the very serious allegations of financial mismanagement and contentious management practices submitted by the union.

Included in the allegations are a number of disciplinary cases and staff departures with significant cash pay offs paid for by Essex taxpayers.

Baroness Smith of Basildon, local councillors and journalists have also raised concerns, and some have uncovered questionable expenditures through FOI requests.

The District Auditor says she does not have the powers to investigate allegations prior to 2010.

She has refused an FOI request for a report which touched on some of the allegations and the fire authority has still not complied with a similar request.

The District Auditor wrote to the union and explained: ‘Further to your request for me to provide you with a copy of the Gillespie report, as outlined in my e-mail of 3rd April, I have contacted Essex Fire Authority to obtain their views on whether they would be happy for me to share the report with you.

‘They have confirmed that at the present time they do not feel that it is appropriate for the report to be released.’

Some allegations relate to payments to the chief officer for tiling, curtains and carpets at his private home paid for by the taxpayer.

Another relates to payments for an HR consultant which amounted to over £800,000 for just over a year’s work.

The allegations involve some of the most senior figures in Essex Fire and Rescue Service, stretching over many years.

Paul Woolstenholmes, FBU National Officer, said: ‘Serious allegations about financial mismanagement have been made and we now need a robust and independent inquiry. We are determined to ensure there is no cover-up.

‘According to our sources, the allegations are backed by numerous witnesses whose names were given to the District Auditor but it seems none of these witnesses has even been interviewed.

‘The witnesses include the highest ranks of uniform officers, an HR manager and a manager in the Finance Department – all of whom felt the previous investigation into some of the earlier allegations was flawed.

‘None of them were ever given the opportunity to see or be cross-examined on the content of the original investigation report which it seems the fire authority swept under the carpet.

‘According to our sources, these witnesses of good repute are still willing to testify in any new, properly robust and independent investigation.

‘Baroness Smith, local councillors, reporters and local MP Eric Pickles have all raised concerns. If the District Auditor cannot or won’t investigate then someone else needs to.

‘It is about getting to the bottom of how large sums of public money have been spent, who approved it and who takes responsibility.

‘We feel there are obvious similarities with the MPs’ expenses scandal and the recent conviction of Lord Hanningfield, former head of Essex County Council, for fraudulent expenses claims.

‘At first they went to great lengths to try and block the information getting out.

‘Then they claimed the MPs expenses had all been properly scrutinised and paid within the rules.

‘In the end, when it was all blown out into the open, public opinion was appalled at the expense claims and the rules. There will be no whitewash in Essex.’