THE Fire Brigades Union (FBU) will continue discussions around a possible social housing union proposed by campaigners at the TUC Congress today.

National officer Adam Taylor told the Morning Star he would raise the issue with his union after speaking at Social Housing Action Campaign’s (SHAC) fringe meeting.

Speaking alongside PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote and the chair of Unite’s housing branch, Paul Kershaw, he told delegates that the government does not expect remediation works to make cladding on homes safe following the findings of the Grenfell Tower inquiry to be completed for another 10 years.

“Tenants and residents complain that they are often made to pay the costs of this remediation and they were never told of the risks in the first place,” he said.

“Apart from cladding, there are 100,000s of people still living in homes which are not safe.

“Everyone has the right to be safe in their home, and that’s why the FBU is proud to support this important fringe/discussion.”

SHAC secretary Suzanne Muna said the failures that led to the Grenfell disaster showed a housing union was needed.

Mr Kershaw, who is a member of SHAC, criticised Prime Minister Andy Burnham for backtracking on his proposal to rip up the government’s housing plans and boost social home building last month.

Just 3.8 per cent of an initial £10 billion from ministers’ 10-year Affordable Homes Programme will be spent on council homes, he said.

Mr Burnham previously called for the programme to be spent entirely on social homes, which are more heavily subsidised and so more affordable than other types of government-funded housing.