FBU members are voting in a consultative ballot on a revised 5% pay offer.
After the union’s executive council rejected a 2% offer after consultation among members, it decided to begin preparing a ballot for strike action.
However, fire service employers then came back with an increased 5% offer. The executive council decided that this offer should be put to members in a consultative ballot – although with a recommendation to vote to reject it and continue preparations for a ballot for strike action.
This ballot opens on Monday 31 October and will conclude on Monday 14 November. Members can vote online or by post. This is not a formal strike ballot, so is not subject to anti-union laws which force unions to use expensive postal ballots to consult members.
Members who have not received their ballot should contact head office as soon as possible: [email protected]
Announcing the executive council’s decision to hold a consultative ballot on the 5% offer and recommend rejection, Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “At a time of such high inflation the executive council recommends rejection of the 5% offer.
The obligation to make an acceptable and reasonable offer lies with the fire service employers. FBU members will decide what is and what is not acceptable.”
Explaining the reasons for recommending rejection he said: “When we were offered 2%, we were told it was a final offer and employers had no more to offer.
We are now told 5% is a final offer and the employers have no more to offer. The only reason for the revised proposal from our employers is the campaign of the FBU, the anger demonstrated by our members and their obvious determination to fight for better pay
He pointed out that: “This [offer] follows years of austerity, pay stagnation and a decline in real wages”.
