THE ‘C’ WORD. Corruption. A serious charge, and not one that should ever be made lightly. But it is becoming increasingly difficult to discuss the events that have occurred at the top of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) without the word seeping into the conversation. Anyone who doubts this should look at the facts –… Continue reading The events taking place at the top of the Fire Brigades Union are shocking. Is it time to start using the ‘c’ word?
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Questions stacking up for FBU leadership as it is revealed that a THIRD national officer departed the union with a secret pay-off and gagging order after complaining of mistreatment
A THIRD national officer departed the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) with a secret pay-off and non-disclosure agreement after complaining of mistreatment, this blog can reveal. And, just as happened in the two other cases, the full facts surrounding the payment and gagging clause were not provided to the union’s ruling executive council by senior officials… Continue reading Questions stacking up for FBU leadership as it is revealed that a THIRD national officer departed the union with a secret pay-off and gagging order after complaining of mistreatment
Promises turned to dust: how Matt Wrack abandoned key principles after becoming general secretary
THIS BLOG believes strongly that internal union debates should never be personalised – that is to say that members should never resort to personal abuse or vilification in their arguments with fellow members or officials of the union. However, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be free to examine the personal records of our elected… Continue reading Promises turned to dust: how Matt Wrack abandoned key principles after becoming general secretary
Guess who once published an exposé on dodgy financial dealings by top officials inside the Fire Brigades Union
A FINANCIAL SCANDAL inside the Fire Brigades Union. Secret backroom deals. Senior officials caught misusing members’ money. A sudden and mysterious retirement. Claims of a “conspiracy of silence”. The membership misled. Calls for heads to roll. Demands to restore openness and accountability. 2023? No, it’s 1994, and a rank-and-file bulletin, Flame, has published a dossier… Continue reading Guess who once published an exposé on dodgy financial dealings by top officials inside the Fire Brigades Union
Fire Brigades Union calls for campaign against workplace non-disclosure agreements… Oh, wait a minute!
CONCERT HALL, Perth, Scotland. October 2019. The Scottish TUC is holding its 92nd annual women’s conference. There is an important resolution on the order paper. The resolution highlights an issue that is giving real cause for concern throughout the trade union movement – namely the increasing use by employers of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) as a… Continue reading Fire Brigades Union calls for campaign against workplace non-disclosure agreements… Oh, wait a minute!
Fresh “hush money” revelations: a second FBU national officer was secretly paid off after making bullying allegations – and this one received over £100k
THIS BLOG can today reveal that an elected national officer of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) who had made a complaint of bullying against the general secretary, Matt Wrack, was paid a staggering £109,000 of members’ money as part of a secret backroom agreement to end his employment and keep quiet about his alleged treatment.… Continue reading Fresh “hush money” revelations: a second FBU national officer was secretly paid off after making bullying allegations – and this one received over £100k
Why was an elected FBU national officer secretly paid £50,000 of members’ money to keep quiet?
SEAN STARBUCK was one of the Fire Brigades Union’s most senior and respected officials. After serving for many years as a firefighter and local FBU official in the north of England, he secured the votes of thousands of members when he stood successfully for the position of national officer. Starbuck was one of a… Continue reading Why was an elected FBU national officer secretly paid £50,000 of members’ money to keep quiet?
FBU “hush money” scandal: the general secretary speaks – but here’s why his denials don’t stack up
REGULAR READERS will be familiar with the ongoing controversy – which has even reached the pages of Private Eye magazine – concerning payments of “hush money” by senior officials of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) to a string of the union’s employees, a number of whom had made allegations of mistreatment. The affair came to… Continue reading FBU “hush money” scandal: the general secretary speaks – but here’s why his denials don’t stack up
FBU accounts saga: what happened next
REGULAR READERS of this blog will be familiar with the saga surrounding an attempt by the leadership of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) to prevent a member from inspecting the union’s accounting records. The member (who also sits on the Campaign for a Democratic FBU steering committee) had sought to exercise his right under law… Continue reading FBU accounts saga: what happened next
FBU general secretary is SUED by serving executive council member
NEWS REACHES this blog that the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), Matt Wrack (pictured above), is being sued by a serving member of the union’s ruling body. The unnamed member of the executive council (EC) has alleged that the general secretary discriminated against him on the grounds of a “protected characteristic” –… Continue reading FBU general secretary is SUED by serving executive council member