Firefighters walk out for a fourth time

Firefighters in Plymouth have walked out for a fourth time today (Wednesday 13 November) over pensions and the age of retirement. The four-hour strike action took place between 10am and 2pm.

The action by firefighters in England and Wales follows a deadlock in talks between the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and government over pensions and retirement age.

The Government plans to raise the retirement age for firefighters from 55 to 60 but the FBU argues that firefighters will be made redundant if they fail fitness tests and are unable to find other work in the fire service.

"Affordable and workable" pensions

The latest in a series of walkouts came after what the union has described as "unnecessary and inflammatory" action by the government's Fire Minister Brandon Lewis MP.

The FBU claims that having withdrawn proposals made on 19 June, the Government now plans to "punish" firefighters who are forced to retire at 55 rather than face dismissal, by reducing their pensions by 47.1%.

Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said: “After 35 years of service — and paying at least £4,000 a year — firefighters could now receive just over £9,000 a year or the sack simply because fitness declines as they get older.

“Firefighters simply want an affordable and workable pension that reflects the job we do. But with employee costs going up, firefighters are being priced out making the scheme threatening its sustainability.

“We’re keen to resolve this through negotiations, but the government is simply ignoring all the evidence we have submitted.”

"Generous" pension offer

In response to the Fire Brigades Union's industrial action, Brandon Lewis said:

"The FBU’s fourth strike day contradicts its claims to want to resolve this dispute through negotiation and further damages the good reputation of firefighters with the public.

"The offer on the table has significant advantages over the (separately negotiated) Scottish fitness principles that the FBU has already accepted. These proposals provide a firm basis for resolving this dispute. The FBU should call off the industrial action to continue discussions.

"Firefighters will still get one of the most generous public pension schemes. Less than a quarter of firefighters will see any change in their retirement age in 2015 and more firefighters pensions are protected than in any other large public service workforce.

"A firefighter who earns £29,000, and retires after a full career aged 60, will get a £19,000 a year pension, rising to £26,000 with the state pension. An equivalent private pension pot would be worth over half a million pounds and require firefighters to contribute twice as much."

But the FBU argues that the scheme is one of the most expensive for workers anywhere in the public or private sector and that contrary to government claims, it is also one of the least generous because employers pay one of the lowest proportions compared to other public service employers.

The Union has also said that the "expensive" pension proposals are designed to fail because they ignore the physical demands of the firefighters’ occupation. According to the FBU, evidence suggests that at least two thirds of the current workforce would be unable to maintain the fitness standards required by the fire service beyond the age of 55 and such firefighters would face the prospect of being dismissed or seeing their pension reduced by almost half.

"Critical stage"

The Union claims that "the fight against the government’s attacks on pensions and retirement age is at a critical stage" and are now set to up the ante. The FBU’s executive council will now hold a vote of members over other forms of action.

The vote will supplement but not replace the current strike ballot, says the FBU who will urge its members to take part in the ballot and vote ‘Yes’ to provide what it describes as "additional tools for firefighters to use to defend their pensions."