Firefighters called for better maternity pay at a rally outside a meeting of the South Yorkshire Fire Authority today.
The Fire Brigades Union is campaigning for twelve months of maternity leave on full pay for firefighters. Research has found that being forced back to work too soon by low maternity pay puts firefighters’ health and safety – and their children – at risk. [1]
The Fight for 52 weeks campaign has resulted in a number of services across the country increasing full maternity pay to 52 weeks. [2] However, South Yorkshire currently lags behind, offering only 26 weeks.
A Fire Brigades Union representative was denied permission to ask the authority whether it supports the adoption of 52 weeks full maternity pay. Instead, firefighters addressed councillors directly outside the building.
8% of the firefighting workforce in South Yorkshire are women, and firefighters are urging their service to provide better maternity pay to aid recruitment and diversity.
Charlotte Naylor, a firefighter in South Yorkshire attending the rally said:
Women in the fire service deserve proper maternity pay and support. It is not right that a firefighter in South Yorkshire will receive half the maternity pay of a firefighter in Greater Manchester or the West Midlands.
Refusing to listen to women firefighters will only deepen the crisis of recruitment and retention. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service must catch up with other services and close the gap.”
Matt Nicholls, FBU South Yorkshire brigade secretary said:
Firefighters have travelled from across South Yorkshire to make our call for 52 weeks full maternity pay loud and clear. Decent maternity pay is vital to creating an inclusive service, which values its firefighters and protects the wellbeing of pregnant staff and new parents.
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service should be doing everything in their power to recruit and support more women firefighters. Providing adequate maternity pay is a vital first step.”
Robyn Richardson, FBU National Women's Committee secretary said:
Fire and rescue service employers cannot continue dragging their feet when it comes to fair maternity pay. Women in the fire service are organising across the UK, and making real progress. But it is scandalous that some services still offer half the maternity pay of others.
We will not stop fighting until every fire and rescue service provides the necessary 52 weeks full maternity pay."
Ben Selby, Fire Brigades Union assistant general secretary said:
Firefighters are driving positive change in fire and rescue services across the UK, fighting dire imbalances in maternity provision.
Women's experience of maternity leave in the fire and rescue service matters, and employers must start listening. Maternity pay should not be a post-code lottery. The case for 52 weeks full pay is overwhelming, and all fire services must step up and provide it."
NOTES
[1] Read the FBU’s Fight for 52 report for more information: fbu.org.uk/sites/default/files/FF52 final report.pdf
[2] These include Greater Manchester FRS and West Midlands FRS.
