FBU action threat wins concessions

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For the last four years "Britain" into this position the F. U have made to start with.

Discussions on women's liberation, rêvolutionising the labour A threatened work-to-rule committee. This was refused by members of the Fire consistently and finally the Brigades Union, due to start FBU called a work-to-rule. on 31 May was postponed It appears that a settlelast week after settlement ment has been reached and proposals were made by the the basis of this is that there employers. will be an independent headcount of members of both The work to rule was the FBU and of NAFO and called as a result of a longstanding dispute over repres- the NJC will be reconstituted on the basis of this entation on the National Joint Council (NJC) where count.

The previous week the wages and conditions of service are decided. national conference of the FBU took place and was Representation notable for two particular decisions that were taken.

Firstly, a resolution in The Fire Brigades Union opposition to the Tebbit bill had felt that they were was passed. As well as the under-represented on the normal wordy resolutions Officers Committee of the there were two specific comNJC and that so-called mitments made - that the officers "union" the FBU should refuse to pay National Association of Fire any fines under the law and Officers (NAFO), were should also refuse to appear over-represented. in court if charged under the After the national strike law and that both of these in 1977-78, many firemen points should be taken up who were promoted to with the TUC. officer rank remained in the FBU, refusing to join NAFO Falklands because of the scabbing role A resoluton on the Falkthey had played in the land Islands from Strathstrike. clyde Brigade, calling for the As a result, the officer withdrawal of the fleet was membership of the FBU rose defeated by a large majority rapidly while that of the and a mildly worded resoluNAFO declined. tion merely calling for the However, the representa- implementation of tion on the officers com- United Nations resolution mittee of the NJC remained was passed. There was howunchanged at NAFO 7, FBU ever a ritual condemnation of the Tories for getting approaches for equal repres- Doug Mackay entation on the officers Advertisement L