At the Local Government Association conference, taking place in Gateshead, Westminster fire minister Penny Mordaunt once again refused to answer questions from firefighters over the sham ‘guarantee’ on pensions.
Firefighters had attended the conference in the hope of having their questions answered over a ‘guarantee’ given in parliament that any firefighter aged 55 or over who failed a fitness test through no fault of their own would receive a full, unreduced pension.
The FBU contacted fire authorities and the national employers who confirmed that they would not enact the parliamentary guarantee.
Andy Noble, executive council member for the FBU in the north east, said: “The fire minister constantly refers to the ‘fire family’ in her speeches and letters however she never seems to want to meet them.
“Firefighters were told one thing in Parliament and then another thing by their employers who all confirmed that they would not implement the ‘guarantee’.
“Firefighters are justifiably angry. More so now that they can never get an audience with the minister, who has now refused to meet the union on three separate occasions demonstrating a complete lack of integrity.”
