Following the landslide ‘Yes’ vote in the ballot of firefighters over strike action on pensions last week, the Fire Brigades Union has laid out the next steps in the campaign.
Rather than announce strike dates immediately, the union has been focusing on attaining further talks with both government and employers in order to rule out the need for a strike.
The FBU said it was contacting Fire Minister Brandon Lewis, relevant ministers in devolved government and fire and rescue service employers in order to seek urgent resolution to the issues it has raised.
During the ballot, CLG ministers, officials and local fire service employers claimed that firefighters had nothing to worry about in relation to ageing, fitness, capability and related matters.
Union officials have said that there should therefore be no obstacle to reaching settlement to ensure that firefighters are protected by agreements rather than simply by the good will of individual chief fire officers or HR managers.
The union has also said that its executive committee will meet regularly to assess whether any progress has been made during talks.
Officials have also asked members to step up lobbying of MPs, Members of the Scottish Parliament, Members of the Welsh Assembly and local councillors.
FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack said: “I would like to congratulate FBU members for the determination and unity demonstrated by our ballot result.
“There were huge efforts by central government and by local employers to convince firefighters not to vote ‘Yes’, but you have decisively shown the FBU members will stand together on this issue.
“You can be rightly proud of the determination and solidarity shown in this campaign so far.”
