Submitted by SWFBU on
Dear Brother/Sister,
PENSION REGULATIONS - LOBBY YOUR MP
The Westminster Government today issued a statement relating to their firefighter pension proposals and followed this up by laying the regulations to introduce the scheme.
These can be found at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2014/2848
We have been coordinating our opposition to this, working with members of the FBU Parliamentary Group. We have also explained in circulars how important it is for FBU members to fully engage in the political lobbying campaign.
The process for laying the regulations uses a Statutory Instrument in a Negative Procedure. This means that there will be no debate or vote and the only means of opposing them is by tabling a ‘Prayer’. A ‘Prayer’ is simply the Parliamentary procedure that applies in this case. The process will request that at the very least the Government allows a debate on the issue. There is no requirement on the Government to respond to this. However, we are also in discussion with leading opposition politicians. We are calling on the Labour Front Bench to support this process which would clearly assist in challenging the Government’s approach. Members of the FBU Parliamentary Group are currently approaching the Labour Front Bench to see if they are willing to support this.
In the meantime our Parliamentary Group are preparing to table a ‘Prayer’ on behalf of the FBU and are collating signatures from supportive MPs.
It is vital that you play your part in getting this supported. The FBU pension campaign is not simply about industrial action. It also needs to involve political action and members are key to any success here. Please take a few minutes to contact your MP and encourage them to support this action.
Please visit the FBU website www.fbu.org.uk (under campaigns and pensions) for assistance with identifying and contacting your MP. (If you are experiencing problems accessing the website this may be resolved by accessing using the Google Chrome resource)
Alternatively if you speak to your MP please ask them to contact Simeon Andrews (FBU Parliamentary Coordinator) who will ensure that their name is added to the Prayer when it is tabled – they can do this by emailing: simeonl.andrews@parliament.uk / or phoning 020 7801 2730.
It is important that we maximise the opposition to these regulations.
Please take a few minutes and do this today.
Yours fraternally,
MATT WRACK
General Secretary
