Firefighters up and down the country, including here on the Isle of Wight, will strike on 10th July between 10:00 and 19:00 in the continuing row over pensions with the Government.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union will walk out once again as talks between the government and employers about proposed changes to firefighter’s pensions have failed to produce a breakthrough following months of discussions and years of negotiations.
The strike is set to take place on the same day that teachers will strike alongside other public sectors.
The Isle of Wight will have limited fire cover operated by firefighters that are not part of the union between 10:00 and 19:00 next Thursday. Non-FBU members will attend life-critical incidents such as house fires or road traffic incidents. Fire control will not be affected by the strike and will be operating as normal – people should continue to dial 999 in an emergency.
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said:
“The FBU has wanted to settle our dispute for a long time but the government at Westminster is simply not listening.
“We are therefore proud to take strike action alongside our colleagues in other unions on 10 July.
“The fact this government has united so many workers to take strike action against them is a testament to the failure of their policies.
Article continues below this advertisement “They are destroying our public services and wrecking the lives of millions.
“If they won’t listen and won’t negotiate then this is the result — and they should face more of the same if necessary.”
The Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (IWFRS) will work in partnership with the other emergency services and partner agencies to respond to incidents. Each call will be assessed by the fire and rescue service and resources will be deployed as appropriate. Priority will be given to calls where lives are at risk, so in some cases, such as animal rescues or people trapped in lifts, calls will be challenged by Fire Control Operators and resources may not be deployed.
Householders and businesses are advised not to take unnecessary risks during periods of strike action and make preparations to reduce their chances of needing assistance from the fire and rescue service. This includes taking extra care when cooking or smoking, checking that smoke alarms are working and knowing what to do in an event of a fire and sharing this knowledge with others.
Owners of non-residential premises are also being reminded to prepare by ensuring their legislative duties, such as fire risk assessments and fire safety management, are up to date.
