Merseyside fire control staff to strike over Christmas period

Fire brigade union members in Merseyside have announced they will take eight days of strike as disputes over night-time staffing continue.

The disagreements are over the change of levels in overnight staffing and the introduction of a duty shift system which was never negotiated.

Fire control staff will take industrial action from 27 December following their rejection of an offer from the National Joint Council.

Union members felt the deal failed to address issues with the proposed duty shift system and their refusal to discuss the decrease in staffing numbers.

Ian Hibbert, Merseyside secretary for the Fire Brigades Union said:

“Our members in fire control are the undisputed occupational experts, who are dealing with an employer that not only ignores that expertise, but seeks to rip up local agreements that protect control staff, firefighters and members of the public alike. 

“Firefighters and control staff do not take industrial action lightly, but having exhausted every option with an employer who refuses to listen, we have been left with no other choice."

Strike action will also follow from 27 December in fire control rooms across the UK.

Matt Wrack, general secretary for the Fire Brigades Union believes the change to working conditions "is a threat to public safety".

He said: "Control room staff have emphatically backed industrial action to defend their conditions and their fire service – and the intransigence of employers gives us no choice but to use that mandate. 

“The cost of resolving this dispute would be minimal. The cost of not resolving it is major disruption to the fire service. I urge Merseyside fire employers to use the time between now and the strike to come forward with a credible offer.

“The whole of the Fire Brigades Union across the UK stands behind Merseyside control members.”

ITV Granada Reports has approached Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service for comment.