Lincolnshire firefighters to strike for 24 hours

Firefighters in Lincolnshire will join national strikes once again, including a 24-hour strike next week.

A 24-hour strike will take place from 9am on Thursday, June 12, with another set for 10am-5pm on Saturday, June 21.

In the time between the two strikes firefighters will also not carry out any voluntary overtime or conduct training of strikebreakers between the beginning of the first strike and 9am on Sunday, June 22.

Across England and Wales firefighters will strike over the government’s confirmed pension scheme.

The decision to strike was made at a meeting of the Fire Brigade Union’s executive council on Wednesday, June 4.

FBU officials met the fire minister, Brandon Lewis, in the hope that discussion could continue, although a response to their appeal was not made.

Strikes across the country have taken place in order to highlight a dispute over pensions and retirement.

Firefighters typically now pay over £4,000 a year from a £29,000 salary, and another increase has been announced for 2015.

Under the government’s proposals, firefighters who retire before the age of 60 will only receive half their pension.

The government’s own report, published in December 2013 by Dr Tony Williams, found that large numbers of firefighters would be unable to maintain operational fitness until 60.

The two strikes will be the thirteenth and fourteenth over pensions since September 2013.

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “The minister has decided to bury his head in the sand, but he must accept that firefighters simply will not give up fighting for their futures — and our fire and rescue service.

“Concerns over these unworkable proposals remain as valid and grave as ever, and the government has ignored all the evidence including it’s own reports.

“It is as ever a difficult decision for us to take, but the only way for us to resolve this unnecessary and costly dispute is for the government to start listening to reason.”

Dave Ramscar, Chief Fire Officer at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, added: “Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue has plans in place to ensure that we continue to provide an emergency response within the county.

“We accept that any planned industrial action will impact on our ability to deliver business as usual, but we are confident that the implementation of our plans will enable us to continue to answer 999 calls and to respond to incidents as quickly as possible.

“We continue to remind people to take care when going about their daily business, and that there is further safety advice available on our website and on Twitter @lincsfirerescue.”