Firefighters ‘insulted’ and ‘backed into corner’ at 'disgraceful' pay offer as they ballot for strikes

Tens of thousands of firefighters and control room staff will decide whether to go on strike, it was announced on Tuesday.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said 32,500 of its members across the UK will vote in the next few weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action.

The union said the move follows a two per cent pay offer made in June, which has not been increased despite the soaring rate of inflation.

The pay offer represents a ‘significant real-terms pay cut’, said the FBU.

The ballot is expected to be held in five weeks’ time.

Former Cosham firefighter and regional secretary of Hampshire and Isle of Wight FBU, Mark Chapman, said members were ‘angry’ after receiving the ‘disgraceful’ offer, which was eight per cent behind inflation, as members struggle to ‘keep afloat’.

The union spokesman said firefighters have already been forced to ‘put their hand in their pockets’ after cuts and caps in the last decade due to the economic crisis and the Covid pandemic.

He said: ‘We are backed into a corner. We do not want to take action but we may have no other choice.

‘Our members are very angry. A two per cent pay increase is insulting.

‘This is especially after we have shown our value to our employers and the government by going above and beyond during the pandemic with things like driving ambulances, helping in intensive care units (ICU) and even moving bodies.’

The announcement follows a wave of industrial action this summer by tens of thousands of workers.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack added: ‘Taking strike action is always a last resort but our employers are increasingly leaving us with no choice.

‘There is huge anger among firefighters at falling pay.

‘Firefighters must be paid fairly – there is absolutely no question when it comes to this.

‘It’s responsibility of fire service employers to provide decent pay offers and that has not happened.

‘The ball is now in the fire service employers’ court.’

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Firefighters went on strike over pensions almost a decade ago and there was a lengthy strike over pay almost 20 years ago.