Lincolnshire: Firefighters to strike again on Saturday

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) are set to walk out on Saturday 19th October in the second round of industrial action in the pensions row.

The strike will last for five hours between 6.30pm and 11.30pm.

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: “Firefighters simply cannot be expected to fight fires and rescue families in their late-50s and into their 60s, and should not pay far worse ratios employer-employee contributions than those in the public or private sector.”

“We hope this second strike will mean both governments will be willing to discuss the full range of concerns that firefighters and the general public have expressed.”

“However, more strikes cannot be ruled out if that’s what it takes to protect public and firefighter safety from these ludicrous attacks.”

The strike is the second time firefighters have walked out in recent weeks.

The first was last month, on Wednesday 25th September, when up to 150 members of the Fire Brigades Union in Lincolnshire downed tools between midday and 4pm.

Non-striking firefighters were called out to six incidents across the county during the industrial action.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service said the incident swere responded to in the normal time frame and to the same high standards.

The Government wants to raise the normal retirement age from 55 to 60 for all firefighters.

But the union fears sackings as firefighters fail fitness tests as they get older and lose some of their pension.