Record of Decisions
WOMEN MEMBERS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
2nd december 2009
1. Maternity Pay Business Case
This Women’s AGM is appalled that many Fire and Rescue Services’ (FRS) are still only paying the minimum amount of money when it comes to maternity pay. We applaud those FRS’ who have adopted the FBU’s ” Best Practice Maternity Document” and have progressed the issue of maternity pay for our women members.
In order to assist Brigade Officials with negotiations on maternity pay, we call upon the EC to develop and produce a standard business case template.
This template is to be completed and sent out to all Brigade Officials and Regional Women Reps within 3 months of Annual Conference 2010.
Region 1 - CARRIED
2. Pregnancy Risk Assessments
This Women’s AGM is appalled at the number of women firefighters and control staff in Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) across the UK who are still not receiving the appropriate level of pregnancy risk assessments, despite the legislation in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
This AGM is furthermore concerned that many FRS’ are only carrying out a singular, generic risk assessment for its control staff, denying that there is any requirement for an individual assessment, and only assessing pregnant firefighters at the beginning of their pregnancy.
This AGM calls upon the Executive Council, in conjunction with the National Women’s Committee, to develop a distinct set of guidelines relating to risk assessments in pregnancy to assist local officials to;
Region 8 - CARRIED
3. Menopause 1
This Women’s AGM is concerned that there is no real evidence based information on how the menopause can affect women when carrying out their duties in the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS)
We therefore call upon the EC to set up a Sub Committee of the National Health and Safety Committee, to include a member of the NWC, to investigate further and produce a report on the effects that the menopause may have on women working in the FRS.
The findings of this report are to be included in an information leaflet on the menopause which is to be distributed to all Brigade Officials and Women Reps before Annual Conference 2011.
Region 1 - CARRIED
4. Menopause 2
This Women’s AGM is concerned by the lack of research that has been carried out within the Fire and Rescue Service regarding the menopause and its potential effects upon all FBU members.
Therefore we call upon the Executive Council to commission research to look specifically at the effects both directly and indirectly of the menopause upon all FBU members.
This research is to be concluded by Annual Conference 2011.
Region 13 - CARRIED
5. Unisex Facilities
This Women’s AGM is concerned by the continuing development and use of unisex facilities in Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) in the UK.
In line with FBU policy, this AGM does not support the idea which is being pursued by some FRS’ equality and diversity managers that this will encourage cultural change in the FRS; we believe that it will in fact discourage women from joining the FRS.
Women members repeatedly state the importance of privacy at work for toilet, shower and changing facilities.
This AGM opposes the use of unisex facilities and instructs the EC to enter into negotiations at the NJC regarding this issue, with the aim of ensuring that our members do not suffer from a lack of privacy and dignity at work.
Region 6 - CARRIED
6. Fire Ground Facilities.
This Women’s AGM notes with concern that there are still no facilities on the fire ground for firefighters in London even though the Fire Brigades Union developed and circulated a best practice document on minimum workplace facilities some time ago for information and negotiation at local level.
This policy outlines the standards we must seek to achieve for all members and in particular provide minimum welfare facilities for personnel, including dignified toilet, washing and sanitary provision and disposal facilities at operational incidents and training events.
As a consequence of these issues not being addressed, this AGM calls upon the Executive Council to immediately initiate discussions at National Joint Council and Practitioners Forum level in order to achieve national implementation of requirements as laid out in the FBU policy within the earliest possible timeframe and give a report back to Annual Conference 2011
Region 10 - CARRIED
7. Best Practice
This Women’s AGM believes that in the interests of achieving the best for all FBU women members, the Grey Book Fairness at Work section should include a ‘Best Practice’ clause for policies.
This AGM notes that due to the Grey Book providing a set of minimum standards, women FBU members in different brigades are being subjected to different arrangements. This AGM calls upon the Executive Council to negotiate, at the NJC, the provision of a ‘Best Practice’ clause within the Grey Book. This would encourage all Brigades to adopt the best negotiated policies, with a view to continual improvements for our members.
Region 10 - CARRIED
8. Fitness Standards
This Women‘s AGM is concerned by the implementation of a national fitness standard being proposed by ‘firefit’ which not only discriminates against women but also is not relevant to the role of a firefighter.
Although this AGM supports the need to improve fitness in the UK Fire and Rescue Service, these tests should not be a blanket fit, but take into account the physiological differences between men and women.
This AGM opposes the implementation of these tests until further research into gender neutral and job related testing has been completed by experienced fitness professionals.
Region 6 – CARRIED
9. Fire and Rescue Service Apparel
This Women’s AGM remains committed to ensuring that Women’s Health, Safety and Welfare is never compromised at work, particularly in relation to work-wear and specifically PPE.
One of the ongoing concerns the NWC have however is that women wearing men’s kit at work are exposed to a higher level of risk than those with properly fitting, gender specific personal protective equipment. This safety issue aside, the additional discomfort and restriction that ill fitting kit brings to any employee can be debilitating and is itself unacceptable.
Although individually tailored kit would be the ultimate precaution and comfort, the Integrated Clothing Project (ICP) has researched, advised and provided a method for Fire and Rescue Authorities to ensure that many concerns are addressed in relation to PPE. Yet we are fully aware that take-up of the project has been piecemeal to date.
In order to properly map the gap in good, gender specific provision of kit and properly address the deficiencies, this AGM demands that the EC;
We call upon the EC to report back progress to the NWC within 12 months of this AGM.
Region 7 - CARRIED
10. Transferability
This Women’s AGM fully supports the victory of the FBU in obtaining part time worker rights for all Retained Duty System (RDS) firefighters.
One of the significant advantages of these rights is that it gives RDS firefighters the right to apply for wholetime posts without being treated less favourably than their wholetime counterparts.
However; this AGM condemns any Fire Authority who misuses this legislation by ring fencing wholetime posts exclusively for RDS transferees and in doing so reinforcing in-equality between duty systems. This practice further undermines the equality agenda which was set in order to ensure that applicants into the Fire and Rescue Service were taken from the widest possible pool of people.
Therefore we call upon the Executive Council to immediately carry out a review of Fire and Rescue Services regarding this issue with a view to developing clear policy and guidelines for brigade officials to follow.
Region 13 - CARRIED
11. Shifts
This AGM recognises that shift work is vital to the provision of professional, reliable, year round public services and when provided with family friendly requirements such as flexible working, childcare and good workplace provisions, employment in this sector should be a gender neutral vocation.
However; this AGM thinks that it is a disgrace for employers locally to use equality as a smokescreen of false ‘family friendly’ arguments in order to change the hours that firefighters work, to 12 hour shifts. It is not in the name of women that these proposals are being made and yet that is where the backlash will be directed. Research has proven that 12 hour shifts imposed on current women members will force many of them to resign and where it has already taken place the FBU is aware that women have resigned or transferred to another Fire and Rescue Service.
In view of the damaging effects on members, we call upon the Executive Council to run a national campaign regarding combating the introduction of 12 hour shifts.
Region 13 – CARRIED
12. The Politics of Equality.
This Women’s AGM recognises and values the importance of the FBU’s equality structures, the work done by our equality sections and the diversity brought to all levels of our organisation, enshrined by the FBU Rule Book.
We also welcome the political awareness raised amongst our members, activists and officials and the positive impact that our sectional reps’ activity also has in the wider Labour and Trade Union movement. However, during these times of financial instability and the rise of the far right, the need has never been greater to redouble our efforts to unite and educate our membership.
This Women’s AGM believes that now is the time to reinvigorate our member’s awareness and focus on progressive, inclusive and tolerant politics, with discussion and education based around not only the issues of our FBU equality sections – but the politics of equality.
This is to be achieved by equality-focused educational events, discussions, and materials developed in consultation with equality reps and advertised and circulated widely amongst members, officials and branches, ultimately putting equality back, as a priority in the heart of FBU politics, awareness and the bargaining agenda.
Region 7 - CARRIED
13. Equality Impact Assessment on FBU Policies
This Women’s AGM welcomes the positive change that Equality Impact Assessments (EIA), if carried out correctly, can make on policies in the UK Fire and Rescue Services.
With this in mind it would be remiss for the FBU not to carryout its own EIA on all FBU policies and practices including Schools, Courses, AGM’s and Conferences. This would ensure that no FBU member is excluded from taking a full part within the FBU.
This AGM calls upon the Executive Council to immediately put in place the mechanisms to carryout these EIA’s and report back progress to the National Womens Committee within six months of Annual Conference.
Region 3 - CARRIED
14. Networking Women in the Fire Service
The Women’s AGM is concerned at the apparent link between Networking Women in the Fire Service (NWFS) and AssetCo as reported in the August 09 FIRE magazine.
AssetCo is a private company that not only provides equipment and appliances to some Fire and Rescue Services by way of PFI, but who have established a private firefighting workforce that can be used during periods of strike action taken by FBU members.
For many years the National Women’s Committee have sought to maintain a professional relationship with NWFS with a degree of success, however the latest link between NWFS and AssetCo, gives us great cause for concern. The NWC will not support an organisation that is associated with a strike breaking company serving to undermine the Fire Brigades Union.
Therefore; we call upon the NWC Executive to seek an urgent meeting with NWFS in order to express our views and to urge them to distance themselves from such an organisation as AssetCo.
This meeting to be carried out with the utmost urgency and importance with a report back to the National Womens Committee no later than 6 months from this AGM.
Region 3 - CARRIED
15. “Because I am a Girl” Campaign
This AGM supports “Plan’s” “Because I am a girl” campaign, believing that the appalling discrimination faced by many girls must be urgently addressed.
“Plan”, a child centred community development organisation working across Africa, Asia and Latin America, has launched a campaign to ensure the rights of girls are realised and respected.
This AGM is concerned that in 2009, girls are still less likely to go to school than boys and two thirds of the children of primary school age out of school are girls. Girls are more likely to be subjected to violence, have less access to health care and less basic nutrition than their brothers.
This AGM therefore resolves to support “Plans” campaign by calling on the Executive Council to :-
Region 7 - CARRIED
16. Sri Lanka
Amnesty international have continually drawn attention to the state of emergency facing Sri Lankan civilians with men, women and children displaced, facing potential death and disease in the aftermath of a devastating civil war. In addition, now the monsoon season is approaching which will only exacerbate the horrific situation Sri Lankan civilians find themselves in.
Amnesty have now launched a campaign demanding that the government 'unlock the camps', where civilians are detained by troops regardless of the contravention of ILO standards and international law.
There are 409,000 displaced civilians, with 60,000 children alone, effectively imprisoned in camps with no sanitation, shelter, insufficient food, water and visitation for families, all witnessed by the UN Secretary General who claimed these as 'the most appalling scenes' he had witnessed.
The Fire Brigades Union nationally and the National Women’s Committee must endeavour to provide continuing, active support for Amnesty's campaign 'unlock the camps' to support freedoms for civilians by:
Iv) Working with sister organisations with similar goals to support democratic structures and processes in Sri Lanka
Region 3 - CARRIED
17. Scottish and English Defence League
This Women’s AGM is disgusted at the recent demonstrations by the Scottish and English defence leagues that are a fascist organisation which shares some of the same sexist and racist beliefs as the BNP.
These organisations deliver the message of fear and hate to whoever will listen to their vile messages. Racist organisations like these must be stopped and opposed as soon as they begin to raise their ugly heads.
Therefore; this Women’s AGM instructs the EC to continue to campaign with other anti-fascist organisations in condemning the activities of these fascist groups and to encourage an FBU attendance at any peaceful counter demonstrations.
Region 1 - CARRIED
18. The BNP
This Women’s AGM notes with concern that the list of BNP members published on the internet earlier this year contained the names of many public service workers.
This AGM recognises the BNP as a fascist, sexist and racist party whose policies are completely opposed to the interests of a progressive movement, good public service provision and the Fire Brigades Union’s ‘All Different All Equal Policy’ and Rules.
The Employment Act 2008 has amended section 174 of The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 2002 so it now allows the following:
A trade union may lawfully exclude someone because of his or her membership of a political party, but only if “membership of that political party” is contrary to a rule or objective of the trade union, and in the latter case only if it is reasonably practicable for the objective to be ascertained by a person working in the same trade, industry or profession.
As a consequence of this;
This 2009 Women’s AGM calls upon the Executive Council to expressly ensure that the Rules and Policies of the Fire Brigades Union clearly state that membership of the British National Party or any other fascist political party is outwith both Policy and the FBU Rule Book.
Region 10 - CARRIED
19. Child Poverty 1
This Women’s AGM is appalled that 4 million (that is 1 in 3) children live in poverty in the UK, one of the highest rates in the industrialised world. This is a shocking figure given the wealth of our nation.
Children who live in poverty in the UK will have shorter life expectancy, slower development, are 5 times more likely to die in an accident and 15 times more likely to die in a fire in their home. These are only a few on the effects of child poverty in the UK.
We call upon the Executive Council and Brigade Committees to raise awareness of the issue of child poverty in the UK and raise the level of debate by urging members to lobby MP’s asking them to support the ‘end child poverty’ campaign, and become members of the campaign.
Region 6 - CARRIED
20. Child Poverty 2
This Women’s AGM believes that child poverty is a significant barrier to the cognitive, physical and emotional barriers to the development of children, significantly reducing their life chances by excluding them from opportunities open to others.
New evidence indicates that there is a widening gap between the richest and poorest in society, in fact 1 in 3 children live in poverty, and this directly contravenes the aspirations of improving children’s prospects as outlined in the Government’s strategy of 2005.
This AGM urges the National Women’s Committee, in conjunction with the Executive Council to put sustained and urgent pressure on the Government to ensure that they make the promised investment in our children and prove their commitment to halving child poverty by 2010 and totally eradicating it by 2020.
Region 8 - CARRIED
21. Domestic Violence
This Women’s AGM views with profound concern the continuing high incidence of domestic violence, which accounts for one fifth of all violent crime reported in the UK and that domestic violence has a higher rate of repeat victimisation than any other type of crime.
It is a gross failing in a modern society which blights the lives of tens of thousands of women and their children and tears apart both families and social fabric.
This AGM recognises that Trade Unions have a role to play in combating this violence, of which women are overwhelmingly the victims. Through information and awareness campaigns, practical support and provisions under rule for victims and perpetrators and support in the workplace such as: adjusting hours of work, ensuring that counselling is available and where necessary, signposting members to help agencies, to name but a few.
It calls upon the Executive Council to;
Finally, this AGM implores the Executive Council to consult with the TUC General Council regarding ways in which the Domestic Violence Bill might be made more effective in practice by:-
Region 8 - CARRIED
Emergency Motion 1. Shift Systems.
This AGM recognises consistent attacks on the 2/2/4 shift system nationwide and accept that there are local agreements in some fire and rescue services accepting other working patterns, negotiated and agreed at local level.
This conference is however appalled that at a planning meeting on the 17th November 2009 of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, the 2/2/4 shift was put back on the agenda for detrimental change, regardless of FBU condemnation.
As an employer of large numbers of women firefighters and shift workers they are debating a change to the current shift system of a day duty, currently starting at 09.00 and a night duty starting at 18.00.
Practical experience and feedback from parents, carers and serving staff has shown that the current 2/2/4 shift pattern is the best system for work-life balance and compliments a family friendly ethos.
Whilst we believe that this pattern should form the basic shift system, we do welcome flexible working patterns for individuals where they are requested to enhance working and home life, development potential and caring costs and management.
This AGM demands that the Executive Council campaign to defend the 2/2/4 shift system where it still exists and supports a campaign for its reintroduction where requested, with better flexible working opportunities and agreements at a national level to be actioned and reported back to the Women’s AGM 2010.
Region 10 - CARRIED
Attendees
Officials
Vicky Knight – EC Member for Women
Kerry Baigent – NWC Secretary
Denise Christie – NWC vice Chair
Delegates
Sharon Sales Mossop
Samantha Rye
Amanda Cregin
Sarah Gartland
Helen Tooley
Helen Harrison
Kate Baer
Tamsin Walkowiak
Jo Byrne
Tania Morris
Emma Davis
Sally Harper
Sian Griffiths
Chanel Richardson
Heidi Reynolds
Pauline Perry
Val Hampshire
Sharon Wilcock
Observers
Rose Jones
Louise Jones
Katy Lane and
Jo Winrow-Jones
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Fire Brigades Union
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Published by Fire Brigades Union National Women's Committee