Firefighters and control room staff to be balloted for strikes over pay

Tens of thousands of firefighters and control room staff are to be balloted for strikes over pay in the latest outbreak of industrial unrest sweeping the country.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said 32,500 of its members across the UK will vote in the next few weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action.

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 FBU highlighted anger among staff and added that inflation hitting 10.1 per cent meant the pay offer represented a significant real-terms pay cut.

Firefighters will decide whether to take industrial action.

The ballot comes after consultation in FBU branches and a meeting of the union’s executive council on September 2.

The FBU says the ballot will be held in around five weeks’ time.

The announcement was made just hours before the new Prime Minister Liz Truss took office, and followed a wave of industrial action this summer by tens of thousands of workers. The FBU has now called on the UK and Scottish governments to fund “a fair pay increase”.

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.

John McKenzie, the Scottish secretary of the union, said: "After a decade of cuts firefighters and control room staff in Scotland have seen their pay cut by £4,000 in real terms.

“This cannot go on. Inflation is sitting at over 12 per cent and food, energy and other household bills are soaring.

"The UK and Scottish governments must fund a fair pay increase for our members who keep communities and businesses safe every day of the year.”

Previously firefighters went on strike in November 2002, with the army called in to replace emergency staff.

It meant many of the old ‘Green Goddess’ fire engines were out on Britain’s streets, with many of the vehicles dating back to the Second World War.

The strike dragged into the following year, with a settlement reached in June 2003.

The Green Goddesses were later disposed of and firefighters were ordered by the Government to ensure emergency vehicles were available in the event of industrial action.

Already this year, Scots have endured strikes by rail staff and council workers, with teachers also now considering industrial action.

Edinburgh saw its bins overflowing onto the streets during the busy Festival Fringe period after refuse workers carried out 12 days of planned strikes.