Fire Brigades Union elects Steve Wright as general secretary

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has elected Steve Wright as its new general secretary following a member vote. Wright received 5,188 votes (59%) compared to 3,436 votes (41%) for the incumbent, Matt Wrack. The election saw a turnout of 29%, with 8,648 members participating. Voting took place between 10th December and 14th January.

Steve Wright, who has served as FBU vice president since 2023 and as the executive council member for the Southern region, has been an active member of the union for more than 20 years. He first became a branch rep during the 2002-3 pay campaign and began his firefighting career in 2001 with Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service before transferring to Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue in 2006. His term as general secretary begins immediately.

Steve Wright said: “I am deeply honoured to have been elected as general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, and I want to thank all FBU members who participated in this election. However you voted, I will work with the Executive Council and all FBU officials every day to deliver for you – together we will fight for your pay, pensions, and terms and conditions.

“I stand by the commitments made to members in my election statement. The FBU remains committed to implementing our policies set by members at our annual conference. Together, we will campaign for a fit-for-purpose fire and rescue service that protects the public and its employees, with genuine investment and national standards.

“Our union has a proud history of standing together, and recent campaigns have shown what can be achieved through unity and determination. We will continue to build on these to win improvements in pay, terms and conditions, safety and lead the fight for equality in the fire and rescue service. The strength of our union lies in its members, and I look forward to working with all of our members to deliver on the priorities that we set together.”

Outgoing general secretary Matt Wrack reflected on his two decades of leadership, during which the union fought significant battles and achieved critical milestones. Wrack said: “I am proud to have led the Fire Brigades Union for two decades, a period which has seen eight Prime Ministers. We have fought back against attacks on the fire service and we have laid the ground for real progress.

“Much of the FBU’s work in that time is only now coming to fruition. For the first time in more than twenty years, we should soon see national standards in the fire service, and the FBU is able to play its role in advising ministers directly on fire service policy.

“Because of our campaigning, and that of other unions, we are also likely to see the biggest workers’ rights package in recent years, including the repeal of anti-union laws that sought to ban effective strike action in our sector.