Fire Brigades Union leaders take cuts campaign to SNP delegates

Senior members of the Fire Brigades Union are taking their case for an end to jobs losses and cuts directly to SNP activists at their conference this weekend.

The move comes against a backdrop of over a decade of cuts to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service that has resulted in the loss of 1200 firefighter jobs since 2012.

Union leaders will address a fringe meeting to be held by the SNP trade union group, following last week’s announcement that the union has taken the first formal step towards a ballot for strike action .

The FBU will soon begin consulting its members before launching any statutory strike ballot. The union is also holding a national demonstration at Holyrood on 26th October.

John McKenzie FBU Scottish Secretary said:

“The FBU has repeatedly warned the Scottish Government and MSPs from across the political spectrum that 12 years of cuts are threatening the lives, homes and livelihoods of firefighters and the communities we serve but our concerns have been ignored.”

“Speaking to firefighters across Scotland, it is clear to us that they have had enough and are not willing to accept another round of job losses, fire appliances withdrawn and the threat of station closures.”

“We are appealing directly to SNP members to support our campaign to end these draconian cuts and to put pressure on their MSPs to reverse the cuts to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.”