Firefighters may strike over pensions

Members of the FBU firefighters' union have voted by a large majority (78% to 22%) to take strike action over the imposition of pension changes including higher contributions and a later pension age. The union has consistently argued against increasing the pension age from 55 to 60 for active firefighters and provided substantial evidence to support the claim. It is also concerned that proposed increases in contribution rates will lead to many firefighters opting out of the scheme. The union had been involved with negotiations with the government over changes to the scheme but was then

Firefighters in England and Wales took four hours of strike action in protest at proposed changes to their pension and retirement arrangements that would lead to active firefighters seeing their retirement age increase from 55 to 60. Meanwhile the government in Scotland has been more open to negotiation and the FBU firefighters' union there balloting its members over the latest proposals from the employers. These include provisions to protect firefighters whose fitness declines with age from losing both their job and their pension entitlement and enhanced ‘transitional protection arrangements’

The FBU firefighters' union has announced that it will be taking strike action on 2nd, 3rd and 4th May in protest at the government's failure to come up with any new proposals on pensions after four months of negotiations. The FBU will also be calling for an overtime ban as part of an additional campaign of action short of a strike. The union is very concerned about government plans to change pension and retirement rules that could lead to firefighters working longer or losing their jobs if they can't meet competency requirements. [Read more at > FBU->http://www.fbu.org.uk/?p=10034] [And