FIRE Brigades Union reps met yesterday to prepare for a national strike ballot over changes to the firefighters’ pension scheme.
The FBU National Conference begins in Blackpool tomorrow, where delegates are expected to vote overwhelmingly for an immediate ballot for industrial action against the government’s proposals to increase the normal retirement age for firefighters from 55 to 60.
The FBU points to research that shows that more than half (51%) of 50-54-year-olds are below the recommended fitness levels for UK firefighters and that this figure rises sharply (to over 66%) for people aged 55-60.
The FBU also points to a separate review of the government’s pension plans – published at the start of this year – which concluded that firefighters could not be expected to continue working until the age of 60.
However, government ministers are still proposing that the pensionable age for firefighters should rise from 55 to 60, claiming that firefighters could still retire at 55 if they choose to do so, but would receive a reduced pension.
Conference delegates are expected to overwhelmingly reject this as unacceptable.
The union has also dismissed government ‘pledges’ to offer redeployment for firefighters over the age of 55, describing it as a ‘myth’.
The FBU said only five out of the 46 fire and rescue authorities in England had any redeployment opportunities and in practice there were only 16 redeployment opportunities to cover more than 41,000 firefighters.
On Thursday there is a ‘Save Clapham Fire Station’ demonstration in south west London.
The demonstration assembles at Brixton Fire Station, Gresham Road, SW9 7NP, at 6.30pm, for a march on Lambeth Town Hall where the so-called ‘consultation meeting’ on the planned closure is to take place.
