Blog

THE SCOTTISH REGION of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has sparked controversy by submitting a motion calling for equality for ‘polyamorous’ relationships to a conference of the Trade Union Congress (TUC). Polyamory is the practice of engaging in multiple sexual or romantic relationships at the same time. The motion, which will be debated at the… Continue reading Crackpot ‘equality for polyamory’ demand sparks controversy in FBU

AS THIS BLOG has previously reported, the government’s trade union watchdog – known as the ‘certification officer’ – published a major report on 12 February into the FBU ‘hush money’ affair. The long-running scandal, which was first exposed on these pages and almost certainly contributed to Matt Wrack’s ousting as general secretary in January, centres… Continue reading Lies, damn lies … and FBU head office communications

A REPORT BY the government’s trade union regulator – known as the ‘certification officer’ – has found that there were serious shortcomings in governance procedures, record keeping and understanding of rules in relation to substantial exit payments made as part of ‘settlement agreements’ to employees of the Fire Brigades Union between 2010 and 2024. A… Continue reading Damning report into ‘hush money’ scandal exposes dire lack of transparency and accountability at top of FBU

THE RESULT OF the election for general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) may be scrubbed from the record, and the vote re-run, after it was discovered that ballot papers were not dispatched to around 3,000 of the union’s members. The error – which affected around 10% of the union’s entire voting membership –… Continue reading General secretary election debacle: members deserve answers

SO A NEW dawn beckons. Matt Wrack is out after 20 years at the helm of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), and Steve Wright is the new general secretary. Until around 18 months ago, it seemed highly unlikely that Wrack would be deposed. He had, for most of his period in office, enjoyed broad support… Continue reading Learning from the past, building for the future. Dissecting the general secretary election

DID THE GENERAL SECRETARY of the FBU abuse his authority by using the resources of the union, without the approval of the executive council, to threaten a member with legal action after that member made critical comments about him on social media? That question demands an answer after evidence emerged showing that the FBU’s solicitors,… Continue reading FBU lawyers threaten legal action against member who criticised general secretary – but who were they taking orders from?

EVIDENCE PASSED TO this blog in the past 48 hours shows that the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), Matt Wrack, personally intervened to block a membership application from a black firefighter who had made an allegation of racism against one of his close allies. The evidence exposes Wrack to the suggestion that… Continue reading REVEALED: How Matt Wrack tried to stop a black firefighter joining the FBU after he accused a close ally of racism

WORD HAS REACHED this blog that a planned relocation of the Fire Brigades Union’s (FBU) head office has fallen through at the eleventh hour, causing the union a massive logistical headache and potentially costing it many thousands of pounds in professional fees. The union had agreed the terms of sale for its current head office… Continue reading FBU facing costly bill after planned head office relocation collapses at eleventh hour

THE ‘HUSH MONEY’ SCANDAL that has plagued the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) for the past three years took another significant turn earlier today after news broke that the trade union regulator had decided to take the highly unusual step of appointing an official inspector to investigate allegations that secret exit payments were made to a… Continue reading Major development in FBU ‘hush money’ scandal, as trade union watchdog appoints official inspector to investigate secret payments

FIREFIGHTERS LOOK SET to end up with the lowest pay award in the public sector this year after the government confirmed yesterday (29 July) that it would accept the recommendations of pay review bodies covering teachers, NHS staff, police officers, the armed services, judges, doctors, dentists, prison officers and civil servants. The outcome is likely… Continue reading FBU leadership rushed to accept employers’ first pay offer – now firefighters are set to end up with worst settlement in public sector