Strike action is being considered by firefighters across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight over a 2% pay rise offer, which has been branded an ‘insult’ by union bosses.
Firefighters have been offered a 2% pay rise – to come into force on 1st July – but the Fire Brigades Union claims that there has been a real-terms pay cut of 12% – or £4,000 – over the past 12 years, with this latest pay offer being below-inflation yet again.
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, has said:
“This proposal will anger firefighters, those working in emergency fire controls, and those in all uniformed roles in fire services across the UK. It is galling to be insulted in this way, especially after our contribution to public safety during the pandemic.
“Firefighters will now inevitably begin to discuss reactions, including industrial action. The Fire Brigades Union and our members do not consider or take industrial action lightly or without ensuring that all efforts to resolve the issue have been exhausted.
“To that end, we will be writing to the national fire employers to inform them of the anger and frustration their proposal will create.
“Our members will now begin to discuss this offer and the Executive Council will reconvene shortly to discuss our next steps. We will now consider all options, including strike action.”
Dave Hunt, who heads up the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Fire Brigades Union as Brigade Chair, has said:
“Today’s two per cent offer, with a backdrop of 9.6 per cent inflation and a cost of living crisis, is an insult to firefighters who stepped above and beyond during the Global pandemic.
“They have sacrificed enough and deserve far better.”
I struggle to understand how public servants are being treated with no respect—a 2% pay increase when Parliament has given themselves 10%. Where is Robin Hood?
vicious circle – all these people demanding pay rises, just fuels further inflation, as governments need to take more money from citizens in taxes to pay for the pay rises. prices rise in the private sector to cover the pay rises they are facing and so it continues until the full wash out happens – recession, job cuts, deflation, pay cuts and then people clammering for any job no matter what it pays.
nothing changes
You are absolutely right we are a society that lives on credit, gone are the days when you had to save for something you wanted, everything can be bought on buy now pay later. Maybe they should try living on a state pension, pensioners cannot go on strike for more money they have to live within their means but pensioners will pay the price with even higher inflation.
Pensioners are triple locked to have the pension rise by at least the inflation rate
The state pension is £9,600p.a. The triple lock on that would be approx £960p.a at a 10% inflation rise. How many workers in full time employment earn £10.560?
But that gets suspended when it suits the government.
Rubbish. Pensioners got an increase of 3.1 percent this year when inflation had already passed 7 percent and is now heading towards 10 percent.
I myself would support all unions in the fight for a fare deal.
But being the IW, people here are to selfish to go on strike.
BUT the same people will still take the improved pay offer that there mainland colleagues have fault for.
Pretty shameful really.
Hang on, i assume you realise that the vast majority of Fire fighters on the island are ‘on call’ and are members of the RFU or FRSA as it is now, some are FBU. They joined to protect their community not for the money as it’s always been a pittance compared to full time pay, basic pay of 2-3 thousand a year compared to around 30k for a competent full time, not bad for sleeping 2 nights a tour and a sizable pension too. On call FRSA members generally don’t strike as, for them, it’s not about money. Someone has to be there during the strike periods to protect YOU and the island community in their time of need. Pay is national, no choice in it.
Help them please £1 off every reader see how far they get !!!!!!!!
It would probably be fairer if the Echo gave an example of wages as well as the PR quotes from the Union leaders. A very quick google gives London firefighters wages as between 28,700 for a trainee up to over 70k for a Commander. Isle of Wight wages are presumably a bit lower unless it’s a national wage scale?
No doubt their wages have fallen behind over the past few years but so have most people’s to be honest.
Do they deserve more? Probably yes, certainly more than train drivers do, but where do you draw the line?
Prison officers have been having the same problems for years, massively under paid for the job they do and its just getting worse. Hope the fire service can get the increase they deserve