Firefighters urged to reject improved pay offer

The FBU says the 5% offer is a ‘significant’ real terms pay cut.

Firefighters (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Wire)

Firefighters are to be urged to reject an improved pay offer in a series of briefings starting on Tuesday.

Leaders of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) will recommend that its members do not accept the 5% offer, which was increased from a previous one of 2%.

The union’s executive said it was recommending that the revised pay offer is rejected but added that the decision is for its members to make.

A period of consultation, briefings and meetings will be held followed by a consultative ballot.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: “At a time of such high inflation, the executive council does not believe that the revised offer represents fair pay for the fire service.

“When inflation is taken into account, the 5% offer still represents a further significant cut in real wages and follows years of austerity, pay stagnation and a decline in real wages.

“Firefighters and firefighters control have already lost pay worth 12% (£4,000) in real terms over the last decade and, having worked on the frontline throughout the Covid crisis, the executive council firmly believes that now is the time for our employers and central Government to deliver fair pay.”