FIREFIGHTERS across England and Wales took strike action last night from 6.30pm to 11.00pm and will strike again from 6.00am to 8.00am on Monday 4th November.
Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said: ‘It is ludicrous that, after two years of negotiations, the government has still not sorted out this mess.
‘Firefighters are keen for these issues to be resolved through discussion, but the government won’t even listen to its own evidence, which highlights that the schemes are unworkable and unaffordable.
‘Firefighters want a pension scheme that takes account of the hazardous nature of the job as well as being affordable and workable for them and for the taxpayer.
‘We hope these brief strikes will mean the government returns to negotiations so we can agree a sensible way forward.’
The FBU has timed the strikes so that celebrations on Bonfire Night and the Saturdays before and after 5th November, which are the most popular times for firework displays, can take place.
The Fire Brigades Union suspended industrial action due to take place on Saturday 19 October in an ‘act of good faith’ after negotiations led them to believe that the government was willing to offer a guarantee that firefighters whose fitness levels declined with age would not face being sacked (the ‘no job no pension’ issue).
However, fire service employers confirmed last week that this risk does exist for firefighters under the new arrangements.
In Scotland negotiations with government have so far prevented any industrial action taking place, although a final settlement is yet to be reached on all the issues in the dispute.
Fire Minister Brandon Lewis has claimed that firefighters have been given assurances by the fire and rescue services that they will not face the threat of ‘no job, no pension’ as they get older.
However, the FBU has received written confirmation from representatives of the fire and rescue services that they are unable to provide such a guarantee.
The ‘no job no pension issue’ is only one area of concern among many that the FBU has been raising with government for over two years.
Last week the government in Westminster signalled its intention to increase employee contributions in April 2014. This would mean the majority of firefighters will pay 14.2% of their salary in pension contributions with further potential increases on the way.
