Firefighters to take part in further eight days of strike action

The strikes will take place for eight days from Saturday 9 August – until Saturday 16 August between 12pm – 2pm and 22:59 – 23:59.

The strikes are in support of the Fire Brigades Union campaign against changes to pensions proposed by the Department of Communities and Local Government. The Fire Brigades Union has been in negotiations with the government for three years in an attempt to avoid the implementation of proposals that they say would see firefighters paying more, working longer and receiving less.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “It is absolutely ludicrous that a government can impose a scheme which means that firefighters will have to ride engines and rescue people from fires up to age 60.

“This is unsafe and unrealistic for both firefighters and the public.

“We know it, and the public know it, but the government will not listen to the evidence based case we have made to them”.

An improved position meaning that firefighters can retire with more flexibility from age 55 has been considered and costed by the government for more than three months but has not been offered.

The costings provided by the Government’s Actuary Department and released by DCLG mean firefighters who take early retirement would get a reduced pension of around 10% - 13% rather than the massive reduction that the government currently proposes.

Proposals incorporating flexible retirement options should be included in an improved offer for the FBU for its members to consider.

Sean Starbuck, FBU national officer, says: “It’s extremely disappointing that we have had to issue more strike dates but the government are simply not listening to our concerns.

“We have a new fire minister but to date she doesn’t appear to have listened to our case.

“The government still has an opportunity to improve their offer which could avoid the need for action.”

No industrial action is being taken in Scotland and N Ireland as improved pension proposals are being discussed.

Starbuck added: “Firefighters are angry as the Westminster government claims we don’t want to resolve this dispute.

“This is absurd as the situation both in Scotland and N Ireland shows this is simply not the case.”