Emails to London Members Banned!

*** PLEASE ASSIST US BY BRINGING THIS MESSAGE TO THE ATTENTION OF YOUR COLLEAGUES ***

In an act more suited to the rulers of a tinpot dictatorship than a modern, democratically-run fire service, London Fire Brigade bosses have decided to censor communications from the FBU to its members.

On Wednesday evening, the union was informed that all emails sent from its own server to brigade accounts would be blocked. The reason given by the brigade for the censorship was the decision by FBU members to support the union’s perfectly lawful call for industrial action over attacks to conditions of service.

Within hours, it became clear that the brigade had not told the entire truth. The FBU quickly discovered that, far from simply blocking emails sent by FBU officials, senior brigade figures in the human resources department were first opening and reading the emails before deleting them. There is evidence suggesting that this was done on the orders of the head of human resources, James Dalgleish.

The union immediately contacted brigade bosses to point out that many of these emails were completely unconnected with the industrial action campaign and contained highly sensitive and personal information over discipline, grievance, welfare, medical and other such matters. We made clear that we considered the actions of the brigade to be deeply inappropriate and potentially illegal, and we sought a reassurance that the practice would cease immediately. Regrettably, senior managers couldn’t even be bothered to respond to us.   

In an email to Mr Dalgleish, the FBU’s executive council member for London, Ian Leahair, slammed the brigades for its provocative behaviour. “How sad that, instead of getting around a table and attempting to settle the current dispute in a grown-up and conciliatory manner, you have instead decided to pick up your ball and take it home,” wrote Ian. “You know full well that emails sent from an FBU or any other outside server to a brigade account do not breach the code of practice on the use of computers. FBU officials are perfectly entitled to send such emails. It is no different from an official using an FBU telephone to call a fire station.”

He went on, “Your actions will not prevent us communicating with our members; I can assure you of that. They will, however, highlight further to our members, as if more evidence were needed, of the kind of bully-boy tactics we must frequently contend with.”

The FBU is determined to ensure that the brigade does not get away with its autocratic attempts to suppress union communications. If the brigade is confident in its own arguments against industrial action, it should have that debate in an open and honest way. This is London, not North Korea.

Many hundreds of London FBU members already subscribe to our mailing list using their private email addresses. All members who haven’t yet done so are encouraged to add their private email addresses to our list, by emailing us at london@fbu.org.uk. By doing so, you will ensure you stay updated at this critical time.

Members who have received this email are asked to assist us in this process by reading this message out at watch meetings.

Yours in unity

Paul Embery
Regional Official
London Region FBU