Strike dates have been put on hold as union members are balloted over an improved pay offer.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe threat of strike action by firefighters has been put on hold as union members consider a new pay offer.
During talks on Tuesday, fire service employers put forward a revised offer including a 7% pay rise.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has postponed announcing strike dates while its members are balloted, BBC Radio 4’s Today programme has been told.
More than 80% of members who voted backed strike action when they were balloted in December 2022.
If strikes go ahead, it will be the first UK-wide fire strike over pay since 2003.
Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said the new pay offer was “testament to the power of collective action through the Fire Brigades Union”.
“We have achieved this increase because of the massive vote in favour of strike action by firefighters and control staff across the country, which made clear the strength of feeling among firefighters about cuts to their wages.”
Since 2010 union members have experienced a 12% drop in real terms earnings, he said.
The pay offer proposed by fire service employers is for 7% on nationally negotiated rates and continuous development payments backdated to 1 July 2022 – plus 5% from 1 July 2023.
The union has put this offer to a ballot and will postpone announcing strike dates pending the result.
Mr Wrack said firefighters and control room staff would now “make the decision on whether this pay offer is considered a real improvement”.
He said all discussions would be “honest and sober”, but the new offer “still amounts to a real terms pay cut”.
Firefighters voted for strike action in a row over pay in January.
Of the 73% of union members who voted, 88% voted to take action.
At the time the FBU said it would delay announcing any strike dates until after it had met fire service employers – the brigades in English local authority areas, the regional fire services in Wales and the national organisations in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In a separate ballot, control room staff in the north-west of England also agreed to the proposed walkouts.
When the ballot result for industrial action was announced, the government said the threat of strikes would be “disappointing and concerning for the public”.
Union members rejected a previous 5% pay offer in November, arguing it would equal a real-terms pay cut given current high rate of inflation.
Currently, a trainee firefighter in London can earn a salary of £28,730, including London weighting. Once they are qualified, their salary can increase to £37,032.
Outside London, trainee firefighters earn £24,191 rising to £32,244 after qualification.
This announcement comes amid a wave of industrial action as hundreds of thousands of workers have been on strike – including nurses, teachers, civil servants and railway workers.
Nurses walked out on Monday and Tuesday and they were joined by ambulance staff at the beginning of the week.
More strikes are still to come with physios, university staff and ambulance workers all due to walk out this week.