Sean Starbuck, Fire Brigades Union national officer, is addressing the Chief Fire Officers Association Peoples Summit 2014 at the Stratford Manor Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon at 2.40pm on Wednesday 2 April 2014. He is expected to say:
“Large numbers of firefighters still face the threat of being sacked simply for getting older despite the FBU submitting a significant amount of evidence highlighting that expecting them to work until 60 is unworkable.
“The government’s own evidence shows that 66% of current firefighters over 55 are below the recommended fitness level required to safely perform the role, and non-operational jobs required for re-deploying firefighters who cannot maintain operational fitness simply don’t exist.
“The government must provide a guarantee that firefighters will not be punished merely for getting older: all firefighters want is a fair pensions system that is based on the realities of their jobs.”
