Trade union facility time
Facility time is paid time-off during working hours for trade union representatives to carry out trade union duties.
All public-sector organisations that employ more than 49 full-time employees are required to submit data relating to the use of facility time in their organisation. The reporting period is 1 April to 31 March.
The Service recognises the following trade unions:
- Fire Brigades Union (FBU)
- Fire and Rescue Services Association (FRSA)
- Fire Officers Association (FOA)
- UNISON
2023 to 2024 data
The total numbers, (absolute number and full time equivalent) of staff who are union representatives, including general, learning, and health and safety representatives, are:
- FBU - 52 representatives/full time equivalent
- FRSA - 4 representatives/FTE
- FOA - 1 representative/FTE
- UNISON - 1 representative/FTE
(FTE relates to member of staff's substantive role in the Service, not their time spent on union activity).
The total number (absolute number and full time equivalent) of union representatives who devoted at least 50 per cent of their time to union duties was zero.
A basic estimate of spending on unions, calculated as the number of full time equivalent days spent on union duties multiplied by the average salary, was £68,136.
A basic estimate of spending on unions as a percentage of the total pay bill was less than 0.01%