Three hours before firefighters were due to go on strike on Friday (1 November), CLG Fire Minister Brandon Lewis wrote to the Fire Brigades Union saying he was withdrawing pension proposals that the government had made on 19 June if the strike proceeded.
Although the FBU did not accept the 19 June proposals, the proposals did at least partially recognise firefighters’ concerns over the ‘No Job, No Pension’ issue. As a result of the 19 June proposals being withdrawn, the government’s current position is that firefighters who are forced to retire from the age of 55 because their fitness is declining would lose over 40% of their pension, rather than 21.8%.
In his reply to Lewis, FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack said that firefighters remained committed to resolving their pension concerns through negotiations, but the Fire Minister’s move was unnecessary and inflammatory. His action had moved the situation further away from a negotiated settlement.
Guarantee needed
Although there are several points to the FBU dispute with government in pensions, we have argued that a simple and achievable step forward for pension negotiations is for the government to provide a firm guarantee over the ‘No Job, No Pension’ issue. The fire service employers have recognised the union’s concerns on this issue (fitness related dismissal among older firefighters) and have confirmed in writing that they were unable to provide the firm guarantee required.
In his 1 November letter, Brandon Lewis said that he would now create ‘departmental guidance’ for arrangements on the fitness and capability of firefighters for use nationally by employers, and that this guidance would be incorporated into the Fire and Rescue Service National Framework document, which “sets out the government’s expectations and requirements for fire and rescue authorities”.
However, as Matt Wrack explained in his reply, including guidance in the National Framework document still does not provide a meaningful guarantee over the ‘No Job, No Pension’ issue. In order to address firefighters’ concerns, the government must include a regulation on the issue in the rules that will govern the 2015 pension scheme. The FBU has even provided a draft of this regulation during negotiations, but as yet the government has refused to consider it. As Wrack has asked publicly, “If the government is serious about firefighters being protected from being sacked without access to an unreduced pension, why won’t it draft the pension regulations accordingly?”
What happens next?
The next strike will therefore take place in England and Wales between 10am and 2pm on Wednesday 13 November.
In addition, the FBU is balloting members on taking other forms of industrial action as well as more strikes in order to increase pressure the government to find a negotiated solution on non-strike days. The use of other forms will not affect firefighters’ ability to hold further strikes. The ballot on non-strike action will include members in Scotland (but not Northern Ireland) and close on Wednesday 4 December.
The FBU is urging members to VOTE YES in this ballot
Documents
– a ‘members circular’ on these developments can be found with the following ref: 2013HOC0602MW.
