‘Our members have had enough’ says South Yorkshire firefighters’ union as members balloted over pay

Firefighters and fire control staff are being balloted over to whether accept a five per cent pay offer from employers, and the Fire Brigades Union’s executive council is recommending that members vote to reject the offer, which they say represents a significant real-terms pay cut and follows a decade of real-terms pay cuts in the fire and rescue service.

This is a consultative ballot on the pay offer itself, with rejection not automatically leading to strike action. Firefighters were last on strike in Sheffield in 2015.

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: “We are a democratic union led by our members. It is firefighters and control staff who will decide any action that the union takes on pay. Firefighters have been treated appallingly by their employers, and by the government over the last decade. Pay is down by nearly £4,000 in real terms and that is why the union’s executive council is recommending that members reject this latest offer.

“Our members worked throughout the pandemic to help protect their communities. They delivered food, moved the bodies of the dead and delivered other vital extra duties. To try and thank them with a massive real-terms pay cut is absolutely disgusting. Our members have had enough.”

Online and postal ballots have been sent out, with the ballot closing on Monday November 14 November.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Setting firefighter pay is the responsibility of employers, working through the National Joint Council; the Home Office neither funds nor agrees it. We thank firefighters who work tirelessly to protect our communities and are committed to ensuring fire and rescue services have the resources they need to keep us safe.”

Officials say firefighters accepted a 1.5 per cent pay increase in 2021/ 22, and that overall, fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.5 billion in 2022/23. The funding for fire and rescue services in 2023/24 will be determined via the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government will lay a provisional settlement for all local authorities (including fire and rescue) later this year.