Firefighters to vote on strike action after rejecting 5% pay offer

Firefighters are going to vote on strike action after rejecting a 5% pay increase, according to the Fire Brigades Union (FBU).

Nearly 80% of members chose to throw out the 5% offer, which is under the current rate of inflation. Inflation today hit a 41-year record high of 11.1%.

Members will now be balloted on strike action, with polls opening on December 5 and closing on January 23.

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: “FBU members have spoken. This result of the consultative ballot, on a two week turnaround, shows that there is remarkable strength of feeling amongst firefighters and control staff on this derisory pay offer.

"The ball is in the employers’ and government’s court. There is still an opportunity to resolve this dispute and we will be writing to fire ministers and government departments across the UK requesting urgent meetings.

“We have firefighters using foodbanks. Our members worked through the pandemic to help protect their communities, taking on extra duties to do so. A further real-terms pay cuts is an absolutely disgusting way to thank them. Whilst strike action is always a last resort, our members simply can’t go on like this.”

The union has said that the government is not directly responsible for pay negotiations, but directly provides a significant proportion of the funding for fire and rescue services across the country.

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