By Judith Ugwumadu | 11 October 2013
Firefighters in England and Wales are to stage a second strike next week in response to what they say are ‘attacks’ by ministers on their pensions, the Fire Brigades Union announced today.
The five-hour strike will take place on Saturday October 19, but could be called off if governments in Westminster and Cardiff are willing to discuss these ‘serious matters’, the FBU said.
This follows a first strike, following the ballot for action, on October 3.
General secretary Matt Wrack said: ‘We had hoped our first strike was enough to show government that firefighters could not be more serious about protecting public safety and ensuring fair pensions.
‘We hope this second strike will mean both governments will be willing to discuss the full range of concerns that firefighters and the general public have expressed.’
He said it was disappointing governments in Westminster and Cardiff did not appreciate the pension scheme would not reflect the job firefighters do after government changes are implemented.
Among the reforms, which form part of the government’s wider changes to a host of public sector pensions, it has been proposed that firefighters’ normal pension age would rise from 55 to 60.
The union said that, as a result of this change, firefighters could be laid off without access to their pension when they get older.
It highlighted that a government review found that more than half of current firefighters between the ages of 50 and 54 were no longer able to meet fire and rescue service fitness standards for fighting fires. Beyond the age of 55, two-thirds fail to meet the standards.
Although the government had previously claimed that older firefighters could be moved to less physically demanding roles, the FBU claimed its research found only a handful of ‘redeployment’ opportunities in fire and rescue services.
This would make mass sackings inevitable, the union said.
Yesterday, fire minister Brandon Lewis wrote to the union, stating the problem of firefighters facing the sack for getting older was an issue for individual fire and rescue authorities, rather than central government.
Lewis offered to help arrange discussions with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
Wrack warned that more strikes could not be ruled out, saying he would do what was needed to ‘protect public and firefighter safety from these ludicrous attacks’.
Firefighters in Scotland have voted against the strike. Negotiations with between firefighters and the Scottish Government are ongoing.
