Firefighters start 3 days of strike action

The Fire Service is urging people to take care throughout the weekend as firefighters prepare for a fresh round of strike action starting today (Friday 2 May).

While firefighters will continue to respond to 999 calls sue to a reduced workforce, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service have asked that people check their fire alarms and take extra care with fire safety.

Due to a long-running pensions dispute with the government, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) will be staging two separate five hour strike actions on Friday 2 May between noon and 5pm and on Sunday 4 May between 10am and 3pm.

On Saturday FBU members will strike for 12 hours between 2pm and 2am and FBU members ban on voluntary overtime across England and Wales from 3pm on Sunday 4 May until noon on Friday 9 May.

Area Manager Phil Martin, Head of Community Safety for Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, said: “The Service has contingency plans in place and ours will again be put into place ahead of these dates for industrial action.

“Our plans worked well during the previous period of action, but we are asking the public to help us again by taking extra care. We will continue to respond to 999 calls and do everything we can to keep the public safe.

“You can help us again by taking extra care and time to think about fire safety in your home during this period - checking smoke alarms, ensuring you know what you would do if there was a fire and not making unnecessary calls to the fire and rescue service.”

Businesses are also reminded to be mindful of their responsibilities - it remains the responsibility of employers, landlords and other premises occupiers to comply with fire safety law.

The FBU have said that the latest strikes have been provoked by the government in Westminster and could be halted immediately by a revised pensions offer that takes the evidence into account.

In a letter to the fire minister, Brandon Lewis, this week the FBU general secretary, Matt Wrack said: “It is purely the failure of the government to present revised proposals that has led to these strikes. Now the government is walking away from talks. It is utterly irresponsible.

“The FBU has never walked away from discussion and our members have been patient and measured in their approach, but we will not simply stand by while government imposes a pension scheme that is totally unworkable, unaffordable, unsustainable and unfair."

However Brandon Lewis has publically criticised the move, speaking last week he said:  “By calling unnecessary strike action, the FBU has shown it is not serious about finding a resolution to this dispute for its members and stands only to further damage firefighters’ standing with the public.

"The Government has met with the FBU on many occasions, most recently during April, and has remained in ongoing communication to find a solution.”

Earlier this year the FBU had written to the government asking for new proposals based on their discussions to be made by Thursday 24 April.

On 23 April Brandon Lewis wrote to the to the FBU saying proposals are still under consideration and stressed the importance of maintaining an open dialogue on this and other matters.

Speaking on the current pensions offer made by the government, Brandon Lewis said: “The deal on the table gives firefighters one of the most generous pension schemes in all the public sector, and the proposals protect the earned rights of a higher proportion of members than any other public sector scheme. Nearly half will see no change and even firefighters who are not protected will see no change until 2015.

“Under the new scheme, a firefighter who earns £29,000 will still be able to retire after a full career aged 60, 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.”

However the FBU have widely criticised this offer as it does not address the union’s key issues with the current pensions plan, such as the fears surrounding the physical ability of firefighters to carry on doing the job until 60.

In particular there are concerns overfirefighters getting the sack simply because their fitness declines as they get older, which as anyone who has to retire or is made to retire after turning  55 faces losing almost 50% of their pension.

The FBU also argue that the amount firefighters would be expected to pay in employee contributions under the proposed pensions offer are unaffordable

Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service’s advice is to take extra care with these six steps:

If you haven’t already got one, install a smoke alarm and test it every week
Take extra care in the kitchen - this is where most fires start
Check your electrical appliances - turn them off and don’t overload sockets
If you smoke, put cigarettes out properly
Sleep safe - check everything in your home every bedtime
Plan a safe escape - make sure you know how to get out of your home in an emergency