Firefighters to strike on eight consecutive days in pensions dispute

Firefighters in England and Wales will strike on eight consecutive days this month as the Fire Brigades Union continues to fight what it describes as a vicious attack on pensions.

Strikes will take place:

• Monday July 14: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm

• Tuesday July: 15 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm

• Wednesday July 16: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm

• Thursday July 17: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm

• Friday July 18: 6am–8am and 11pm–1am on Saturday 19 July

• Saturday July 19: 11am–1pm and 11pm–1am on Sunday 20 July

• Sunday July 20: 5pm–7pm

• Monday July 21: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm

The union has been in negotiations with the government for three years in an attempt to avoid the implementation of proposals they say would see firefighters paying more, working longer and receiving less.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “The government must realise that firefighters cannot accept proposals that would have such devastating consequences for their futures, their families’ futures — and the future of the fire and rescue service itself.

“We have tried every route available to us to make the government see sense over their attacks.

“Shorter strike periods have illustrated the strength of feeling amongst firefighters whilst limiting disruption to the fire service, the public and our During negotiations with the FBU, the government recently imposed a third annual increase in firefighters’ pension contributions, taking them to 14.2% for most firefighters — one of the highest in the public or private sector.

This means that a firefighter with a salary of less than £29,000 now pays around £4,000 a year for a pension the FBU says is being devalued and attacked.

The FBU also recently launched a legal challenge against the government’s proposals, saying they have received advice that the current proposals reducing firefighters pensions by almost 50% at age 55 is unlawful and amounts to age discrimination.

Firefighters are also due to strike on Thursday July 10 — the 15th in their campaign — alongside local government workers, teachers and civil servants, who are campaigning over a range of issues, including attacks on pay and pensions and workloads.

Firefighters voted by 78% for strike action in August last year.