Tens of thousands of firefighters and control room staff could go on strike over pay.
Workers in the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) will be balloted over the next few weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action, it has been announced today. Around 32,500 members will take part in the vote.
The union said the move follows a 2 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. The announcement was made just hours before the new prime minister takes office, and follows a wave of industrial action this summer by tens of thousands of workers.
FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: "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 is the 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. It is not too late for them to make a much better pay offer for consideration by our members.”
Firefighters went on strike over pensions almost a decade ago and there was a lengthy strike over pay almost 20 years ago.
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