The24-hour firefighter strike started at 9am today (June 12) in response to an ‘unworkable’ pension scheme.
There will be a second strike on June 21 from 10am-5pm whilst fire-fighters will not carry out any voluntary overtime, which is routinely needed to maintain fire cover, between the beginning of the first strike and 9am on June 22.
The two strikes will be the thirteenth and fourteenth over pensions. Today’s strike is the longest yet in a three-year campaign.
Fire-fighters typically now pay £4,000 a year from a £29,000 salary, and the Government will impose another increase in 2015.
The FBU say more members are considering leaving the pension scheme as a result of its decreasing affordability. Under the Government’s proposals, fire-fighters who retire before the age of 60 will have half of their pension taken away.
