The fire minister in Westminster has alternative pension proposals ready but failed to provide them to the Fire Brigades Union, a leaked letter reveals today.
Brandon Lewis’ letter to fire authority chairs describes how the government has had fully-costed alternatives ready since 19 March, but instead seemed to prefer to provoke further firefighter strikes and blame the FBU for walking away from negotiations.
Firefighters called new dates for industrial action after three months of intensive discussions with the Department of Communities and Local Government failed to result in any change in proposals from government.
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “We’re astonished that the government would allow strikes to continue when for over a month they have been sitting on proposals that might point the way towards a solution. The ball is once again firmly in their court.
“Nevertheless firefighters simply want a workable pension scheme and an end to this dispute, and the existence of such proposals gives us hope that an end might be in sight.
“These strikes have only resumed because of a complete absence of proposals from government. Rather than speculate on the motivations for their behaviour, now that we know costed proposals exist, we call on the minister to send us proposals without any further delay.”
