Firefighters lobby parliament over cuts

At the end of last month the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) continued its campaign against cuts in the fire service with a lobby of parliament on 26 February.

This came in the wake of an unsuccessful attempt to secure a High Court ruling against government proposals for a repeal of Section 19 of the 1947 Fire Services Act. If the government presses ahead with repeal the union fears it will make it easier for local authorities to cut fire services.

Negotiations on the FBU's pay claim also continued last month. The union hopes to put a final pay offer to a special conference scheduled for 19 March.