Forthcoming strike action by firefighters over pensions has been been provoked by the government in Westminster and could be halted immediately by a revised pensions offer that takes the evidence into account, firefighters have said today.
After three years of negotiations and a delay of 17 weeks since the last strike, the FBU had written to the government asking for new proposals based on their discussions to be made by Thursday 24 April, but no new offer was made by that date. As a result of strike dates being set, the Westminster fire minister, Brandon Lewis, wrote to the union saying the government was no longer willing to discuss the issue and would now impose their proposals, although the union says it remains committed to a negotiated settlement and was available to meet at any time, including at short notice, to receive and consider any improvements.
In a letter to the minister this week, Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “It is purely the failure of the government to present revised proposals that has led to these strikes. Now the government is walking away from talks. It is utterly irresponsible.
“The FBU has never walked away from discussion and our members have been patient and measured in their approach, but we will not simply stand by while government imposes a pension scheme that is totally unworkable, unaffordable, unsustainable and unfair.”
Firefighters have several concerns over the government’s pensions proposals:
- The amount firefighters would be expected to pay in employee contributions. These are among the highest pension costs anywhere and are making firefighter pensions unaffordable.
- The pensions of existing firefighters are not sufficiently protected from the proposals and existing agreements are being ripped up
- Firefighters face the risk of the sack simply because their fitness declines as they get older
- Anyone who wants to or must retire after 55 faces losing almost 50% of their pension
While negotiations have continued, the government has imposed a third year of employee contribution increases, meaning most firefighters must now pay at least 14.2% of their salary in pension contributions, or over £4,000 a year from a salary of less than £29,000.
During discussions, the government has given assurances that there is no risk that firefighters will be sacked as their fitness declines due to age — with fire minister Brandon Lewis suggestions they would just be “retested until they passed” — although it has so far refused to provide any written guarantee to back up these claims.
Although the government said it was considering a proposal on firefighters being able to retire after 55 without losing so much of their pension, representatives of fire and rescue services have confirmed that they want to keep the discretion to sack firefighters who cannot maintain their fitness.
Firefighters in England and Wales will strike:
- Between noon and 5pm on Friday 2 May,
- Between 2pm on Saturday 3 May and 2am on Sunday 4 May and
- Between 10am and 3pm on Sunday 4 May.
In addition to strikes in England and Wales, there will be a ban on voluntary overtime across England and Wales from 3pm on Sunday 4 May until noon on Friday 9 May, and in Scotland there will be a ban on voluntary overtime between noon on Friday 2 May and noon on Friday 9 May.
