Firefighters in Buckinghamshire will no longer be ‘locked out’ for the duration of shifts this week after the Fire Brigades Union negotiated an end to the local fire service’s policy.
Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service had announced that firefighters taking part in this week’s industrial action over government attacks on pensions would lose pay for entire shifts rather than the two or four hour periods in which strikes are taking place each day.
Buckinghamshire was the only fire and rescue service to make the decision, and local firefighters had said that the move “posed serious questions about public safety.”
Ricky Matthews, who represents the FBU’s southern region on the union’s executive council, said: “This is a victory for all firefighters in Buckinghamshire and — most importantly — the communities we protect.
“The climb down from the fire and rescue service came as a result of FBU members in Buckinghamshire sticking together, and a special thank you must go to our retained members for staying strong: without their support it would not have been possible to achieve this fantastic result.
“Firefighters only take industrial action as a last resort and it simply didn’t make sense for them to be penalised more than their colleagues in other fire and rescue services.
“I hope that the government will meet with national officials of the Fire Brigades Union and settle matters quickly so that everyone can get back to working normally.”
