UK: Firefighter trade union recommends new pay offer

A British trade union representing firefighters recommended the new pay offer from fire service employers over the weekend. The recommendation follows the postponed strike action by the union for its members to vote.

On Saturday, the Fire Brigades Union recommended that its members accept the new pay offer from employers. The union said the pay offer of a seven percent increase backdated to last July and another five percent increase starting July 1 this year was still below inflation in the first year, but was still a “significant shift” from the previous offer of just two percent. FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack said that the union leadership made the recommendation after considering “the positives and negatives.”

The members are set to make a decision on the pay offer on the ballot that will take place from February 20 to March 6. Should the members accept the pay offer, it would provide some relief to the government following the surges of disruptive strikes from key sectors across the country.

The UK’s largest railways union, the National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers rejected the pay offers of companies on Friday last week, saying that the decision was made after an “in-depth” consultation with its 40,000 members.

“The message we have received loud and clear is to reject these dreadful offers,” said RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch, adding that the offers did not meet the expectations of the members regarding pay, job security, or working conditions.

Transport minister Mark Harper said in a statement that the union’s rejection of the offer was a “kick in the teeth for passengers” as well as for workers who have not been given a vote on the offer.

“The RMT’s leaders should have had the courage to allow their own members to have the chance to vote on their own pay and conditions, rather than making that decision for them behind closed doors,” said Harper.

The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association, which represents train drivers, said separately that the thousands of workers it represents will be given a vote on the offers by the employers, but did not formally recommend that the members accept or reject the offer. The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said passengers and RMT members would be “dismayed” that the union rejected the offer without a full vote.