Latest news with #FBU
Telegraph
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Former fireman elected head of teaching union – without ever working in schools
A former fireman has been elected as the head of the teaching union despite never having worked in schools. Matt Wrack secured the role of permanent general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) after a ballot in which less than 5 per cent of eligible members voted. The hard-left former head of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) beat his rival Neil Butler, the NASUWT's national officer for Wales, by 5,249 votes to 3,126. The union had originally announced that the 63-year-old had been elected unopposed in April but the appointment was put to a ballot after Mr Butler launched a legal challenge. The vote for a successor to Patrick Roach, who stepped down in April, was the union's first contested leadership election since 1990. 'Immensely honoured' Mr Wrack, who led the FBU for 20 years, said he was 'immensely honoured' and wished to thank those who had placed their trust in him. He said: 'NASUWT is a proud and powerful voice for teachers, and together we will make that voice even stronger. Now, our priority is unity and action. 'Teachers have endured years of underinvestment, overwork, and undervaluing of our profession. We urgently need the Government to invest in education – that means fair pay, manageable workloads, and safe, respectful working environments for staff and students. 'I will work tirelessly with our executive and activists across all nations to secure the conditions and respect teachers deserve. This is a critical moment for education, and NASUWT will lead the way in fighting for our members' rights.' His challenger had initially been blocked from standing because he was not a union member at the time of the nomination. Alongside Luke Lockyer, president of the Welsh NASUWT, Mr Butler sought injunctive relief to force a full election, with the union later agreeing to reopen nominations and pay £65,000 towards his legal fees and VAT to avoid a High Court battle. The union announced in June that the leadership election would go ahead after both candidates met the threshold of being nominated either by the NASUWT national executive or by a minimum of 25 local associations. Mr Wrack, an ally of Jeremy Corbyn, has previously been accused of seeking to downplay allegations of antisemitism which undermined the Islington North MP's tenure as leader. At the FBU conference in Blackpool in 2016, he said: 'The so-called furore about so-called anti-Semitism in the Labour Party is, in reality not at all about anti-Semitism; it is about an attack on the left, and it is about an attempt to undermine Jeremy Corbyn.' A report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission later identified failings within the party that 'at best did not do enough to prevent antisemitism, and at worst could be seen to accept it'. The FBU voted to re-affiliate with the Labour party under Mr Wrack. Wayne Broom, the union's national president, congratulated Mr Wrack on his election, adding: 'This election engaged our members up and down the country, and the result reflects their confidence in his leadership. 'Matt will play a vital role in the next chapter of the union's work on behalf of teachers across the UK. The national executive and I look forward to working closely with him as we continue our mission to put teachers first. 'We also want to thank Neil Butler for standing in this election and for his ongoing service to NASUWT – his dedication exemplifies the strength of this union's democracy.' Just 4.7 per cent of the NASUWT's 178,306 eligible members took part in the vote. No history of working in education This is the first time someone with no history of working in education has been appointed to the job. A teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, previously told The Telegraph that putting Mr Wrack forward was 'a bonkers decision', adding, 'given his age, it is entirely plausible that the last time Matt Wrack was in a school was over 40 years ago'. One long-term minister who served under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown previously told this newspaper that there had been a 'mixture of conspiracy and incompetence at play' in the wake of Mr Wrack losing out to Steve Wright in the FBU vote earlier this year. 'Matt had lost his election [at the FBU]. It was a very contentious election and he was from the ultra-Left, with a strong affiliation with Labour, and someone wanted him in the role,' they said. Mr Wrack has been approached for comment.
BBC News
20 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Bedfordshire Fire Service staffing is 'dangerously low'
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has criticised a county fire service for "a major shortfall in firefighter recruitment".It said Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS) needed up to 30 more firefighters to return the service to safe and sustainable operational executive council member and serving Bedfordshire firefighter Jamie Newell said the service was "critically understaffed, with dangerously low numbers of firefighters available to protect the public".Jim Davies, assistant chief fire officer at BFRS, said they had "a planned range of options to increase the number of wholetime firefighters when they are needed". The FBU said that the process of recruiting and training 30 more firefighters could take 18 months or will leave both the public and firefighters exposed to heightened risk throughout that period, it added, especially with the extreme summer weather. The FBU said that due to the shortfall in staff the service was "being forced to cut emergency response resources".It has blamed chief fire officer Andy Hopkinson for the "dangerously low crewing levels".Mr Newell said Mr Hopkinson had failed to address a crisis in recruitment and retention and "to rub salt in the wound, firefighters have seen the number of senior officer roles in the brigade increase"."The FBU is calling for immediate action to address the firefighter staffing crisis and ensure that public safety is not further compromised," he said."We currently have enough firefighters to ride fire engines to give the people of Bedfordshire the emergency service they deserve," said Mr Davies."The service has identified a period of potential higher turnover in the future, however, a plan is in place to mitigate this and ensure communities receive the same level of service." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The National
3 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Scotland's people do not endorse these war crimes by Israel
Let us not forget that this bloodshed is being directed by an Israeli regime led by a wanted alleged war criminal, Netanyahu, backed by a cabal of radical right-wing ministers and generals. Yet Sir Keir Starmer's government continues the long-standing [[Westminster]] tradition: turning a blind eye, parroting platitudes, and doing absolutely nothing meaningful to halt the carnage – let alone uphold international law. READ MORE: Banning Palestine Action an 'abuse of power', High Court told This is not just shameful; it is intolerable. Scotland's people do not endorse these crimes. We are not willing participants in this grotesque complicity. But as long as we remain shackled to a Ruritanian state run by blustering buffoons in London, our voices – and our values – are overridden on the world stage. Scotland's future is harmed by being shackled to a backward-looking, imperialist-days-of-yore set of dreamers with no hope and no aspiration of rising from the decay of Rule Britannia long gone! How long will Scots put up with this? There comes a point when silence makes us complicit too. If Westminster's foreign policy is to be conducted in the service of imperial nostalgia and military-industrial partnerships, then it's past time Scotland cut its ties. Even now we see frantic efforts to silence dissent by the arrest of citizens wearing T-shirts with slogans unacceptable to the misguided foreign policy of the Gilbert and Sullivan characters who grace the stage of Westminster. Independence is not only about economic potential or democratic renewal – it is also a moral necessity. Peter Macari Aberdeen THOUSANDS turned out in the rain for the pro-Palestine demonstration on Saturday in Edinburgh. It was organised by the [[Gaza]] Genocide Emergency Committee in response to a Declassified UK report on the RAF's 518 spy flights over [[Gaza]] since October 2023. The protest followed the Starmer regime's banning of the peaceful protest group [[Palestine]] Action on July 2. Protesters held defiant signs: 'Genocide in [[Palestine]] – Time to Take Action.' Starting from St Giles, the crowd marched to Queen Elizabeth House to hear speakers including Tommy Sheppard and Lesley Riddoch. READ MORE: Protesters gather outside court for Palestine activists hearing Then it was on to John Swinney's official residence at Bute House. Speakers included a Dundee firefighter whose Fire Brigade Union (FBU) members sourced and refitted a fire engine with medical and firefighting equipment for Palestinian firefighters in the West Bank town of Nablus in July 2024. The engine, which had all necessary paperwork, was driven from Dundee to Southampton and shipped to the port of Ashdod, where on July 21 2024 it arrived and was immediately seized by the Zionist entity. Four months later, the FBU sent a letter to the entity's UK ambassador demanding its release. The engine remains impounded as the Zionist entity's violence against and murder of Palestinians in the West Bank intensifies and its genocide of Gazans grinds on. What says the UK Government? Nothing. READ MORE: Who is on the Freedom Flotilla Handala ship to Gaza? Last Tuesday three women were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 because they allegedly drove a van into a perimeter fence around the Leonardo weapons facility in Edinburgh. The Scottish administration provides public funding to the company which manufactures laser targeting components for F-35 jets used by the Zionist entity to bomb Gaza. I couldn't help but wonder how different things could be if Scotland were an independent nation, able to project its people's voices and values onto the world stage, rather than a vassal of a disunited and venal state that is actively supporting the annihilation of an entire people. Leah Gunn Barrett Edinburgh EVERY time I think that I have grappled sufficiently with my emotions so that I am not in a permanent state of outrage and an all-consuming sadness, the soldiers of the world's 'most moral army' do something that rips through that facade and exposes yet another act of utter depravity and barbarism. I have seen footage of a British surgeon, Nick Maynard, practically in tears as he says children are being targeted 'as if it's a game' where one day they are shot in the head, another day the neck, and yet another day the testicles. READ MORE: IDF soldiers 'arrested at Tomorrowland festival over war crimes' Can you imagine how our politicians would denounce this if Russians were doing it to Ukrainians? The UN is impotent; South Africa, Ireland, Norway and Spain have taken action, along with countries from the Global South. Yet we, along with the US and Germany, continue to aid and abet this, and if we protest we can be charged with supporting terrorism. This is sick sick sick and we will never let our craven 'leaders' – 'critical friends' all – forget it. Marjorie Ellis Thompson Edinburgh
Daily Record
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Record
Perth fire service cuts could put lives at risk, union warns
If approved, the FBU said, it would mean the permanent removal of the third pumping appliance at Perth and 15 firefighter posts. Lives could be at risk if the number of Perth frontline firefighting appliances are cut according to the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). Their warning comes as Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) chiefs announced a public consultation into changes at Perth Community Fire Station in the city. In 2023 the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service cut Perth appliances from three to two, with a reduction of 15 firefighters – a move which they want to make permanent. But the Fire Brigade Union (FBU) point out that firefighters who attended recent Perth blazes - the tragic fire in Scott Street in which a man lost his life and at Balhousie School now facing demolition – reported being under pressure while waiting for help from other fire stations. If the 2023 changes are approved, the FBU said, it would mean the permanent removal of the third pumping appliance at Perth and 15 firefighter posts. SFRS chiefs said Perth operational demand for the city's three wholetime appliances is lower than most fire stations with two wholetime appliances. But Perth-based FBU official Colin Brown said: 'As we have seen in recent weeks the speed and weight of response to fires and other emergencies is crucial to save life and property. 'Crews who attended the fires at Scott Street and Balhousie School have reported being stretched too thin in the early stages of these incidents whilst they awaited additional crews coming from county stations – Dundee's and Fife. 'Perth crews were also deployed to support and provided fire cover into Aviemore during the recent spate of wildfires. 'Cutting firefighter numbers and fire appliances removes resilience from the service when incidents do occur, this has the potential to put lives at risk and the FBU would encourage members of the public to fully engage in the ongoing SFRS consultation and let both SFRS and the Scottish Government know they don't want to see their fire and rescue service cut even deeper. 'The changes in Perth, if approved, would mean the permanent removal of the third pumping appliance and 15 firefighter posts.' Perth MSP Murdo Fraser criticised the move, particularly given the two devastating blazes in the city last month. He said: 'These proposed cuts to Perth Fire Station have been feared for a while and I understand the concerns that these will leave the brave firefighters who work there extremely short of much needed resources. 'The spate of recent fires we have seen in Perth underlines the need for a properly resourced fire and rescue service in our community.' SFRS head of service delivery for the east and the north of Scotland deputy assistant chief officer Andrew Girrity, said: 'Our modelling has shown that two appliances would align better with risk and demand. 'Currently, the third vehicle at Perth is a combined aerial rescue pump, and we want to change this to a dedicated high reach appliance. 'Since 2023, the dedicated high reach appliance has been temporarily crewed, and we need to find a permanent solution.' Speaking about the service delivery review Mr Girrity added: 'We have an opportunity for the first time since the national SFRS was formed in 2013 to review how we provide our emergency service across Scotland. 'I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in the public consultation process and attend the public meetings.' A drop-in public meeting will take place tomorrow, Wednesday July 23, from 3pm to 7pm at AK Bell Library in Perth.
ITV News
4 days ago
- Politics
- ITV News
Keir Starmer urged to use his 'power' to end Birmingham bin strike
The Prime Minister has been urged to use his influence to intervene in the long-running bin strikes in Birmingham. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) called on Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner to step in to deliver a "decent settlement" to the bitter row over the scrapping of a role which would lead to some workers losing £8,000 a year. Members of Unite the Union have been on an indefinite strike since March 11, leading to bags of rubbish piling up across the city. FBU general secretary Steve Wright said unions affiliated to Labour, like the FBU, would not tolerate a 'betrayal' by the party - drawing comparisons to high-profile disputes in the late 1990s that he says Tony Blair's Labour government failed to intervene in. Steve Wright said: 'The treatment of the bin workers has been outrageous. 'It's a disgrace that a Labour-led council forced these dedicated public servants to go on strike by attempting to cut their pay by thousands of pounds. 'The Prime Minister and his deputy cannot stand by any longer and allow this attack on the jobs and wages of these workers who have lost their family incomes and faced dire poverty for many months. 'Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner could easily resolve this dispute by insisting that Birmingham Council halts the planned pay cuts and compensates the bin workers for all lost earnings. 'The leadership of the Labour government has the power to do this, and there must be no excuses. 'Nearly 30 years ago, Tony Blair's Labour government failed to intervene in favour of the Liverpool dockers, Magnet strikers in Darlington, and Hillingdon hospital workers. 'Unions affiliated to Labour like the FBU that help fund the party's election campaigns will not tolerate a repeat of this betrayal of striking workers.' The council insists its move is aimed at improving the waste and recycling service, adding that affected workers have been offered other jobs. A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: 'The Government has been working intensively with the council to tackle the backlog and clean up the streets in the interests of Birmingham residents and public health. 'The Government remains committed to supporting Birmingham's long-term transformation, for the benefit of local residents, and to a sustainable resolution of the equal pay issues which have been left unresolved for far too long.' Unite has suspended Ms Rayner's membership of the union and is re-examining its relationship with Labour as a result of the dispute. The city council said this month all its offers had been rejected by the union, sparking fears of redundancies. But Unite warned bin workers could make unfair dismissal claims.
