On Thursday, 2 December, CESI’s Board approved the membership of the French National Union of Professional Firefighters and Technical and Specialised Administrative Staff (Syndicat National des Sapeurs-Pompiers Professionnels et Personnels Administratifs Techniques et Spécialisés- ‘SNSPP-PATS’). Founded in 1975, the French trade union represents firefighters and other personnel in fire brigades.

Following the positive vote by the Board, CESI’s President Romain Wolff said: “CESI continues to grow. The accession of SNSPP-PATS further upgrades CESI’s role as an EU-level confederation in the emergency services sector. We are ready to support our new member and we are looking forward to a successful cooperation.”

The membership approval of SNSPP-PATS complemented a Board meeting that provided the participants with the opportunity to share their views on the implications of the Covid pandemic in their countries, sectors and unions and on the related needs of the workers they represent. The members of the Board commented on the new Covid-measures that have been/are going to be imposed across Europe and discussed best practices regarding the protection of workers and their rights under the current circumstances.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger praised the high level of solidarity among CESI’s members and presented the latest achievements of CESI’s General Secretariat and the organisation’s work priorities for the next year. He said: “2021 has been a tough and challenging year, with the Covid pandemic and crisis persisting. One more year in this tremendous health crisis started with plans, expectations and objectives that had to be adapted to unexpected and rapid changes. We had to be flexible and, at the same time, effective. I believe that we managed to do it with great success, together with our members.”

And he added: “When I look back at all these Covid-related difficulties and obstacles we faced this year, I realise how well we have worked together and how important our mutual support was within the CESI network. Indeed, CESI is not ‘just’ an organization: CESI is a real family!”