Dear Brother/Sister
Pay 2022 – EC recommends rejection of revised offer
On 4 October 2022 fire service employers at the National Joint Council (NJC) made a revised pay offer of a 5% increase on all Grey Book rates of pay, including CPD, from 1 July 2022.
The Executive Council considered the revised offer in detail and by unanimous decision, agreed the following:
- The Executive Council recommends that the revised pay offer is rejected but this is a decision for our members to make.
- The Executive Council has agreed to commence a membership consultation on the revised proposals. This will consist of a period of consultation, briefings and meetings followed by a consultative ballot.
At a time of such high inflation, the Executive Council does not believe that the revised offer represents fair pay for the fire service. When inflation is taken into account, the 5% offer still represents a further significant cut in real wages and follows years of austerity, pay stagnation and a decline in real wages.
Firefighters and firefighters control have already lost pay worth 12% (£4,000) in real terms over the last decade and, having worked on the frontline throughout the Covid crisis, the Executive Council firmly believes that now is the time for our employers and central government to deliver fair pay.
We want all FBU members to fully understand the reasons why the Executive Council is recommending that the revised offer is rejected. That is why we have asked all FBU Officials to immediately begin the process of arranging and undertaking meetings of members at a local and brigade level. Please make sure you attend your local meeting and engage in the discussion. Executive Council members will ensure that local officials are briefed on the reasons behind the recommendation to reject, but it is vital that we hear the views of members in this process.
To assist in this process of consultation we are also inviting all members to attend an online briefing which will take place on:
Tuesday 11 October 2022 at 18:30hrs.
This briefing will be led by myself and the President and will also provide the opportunity for members to submit questions. We will answer as many as possible in the time available. Further details of this briefing will be sent out via our online communication platforms and also by email, so please look out for these in the next few days.
We will send out more information to you as soon as it is available. This will include further details of the consultation process and the consultative ballot which we will run to ensure that all members can have their say.
Please attend the online meeting and your local branch meeting. Please hear the issues, get involved in the discussion and have your say. We must achieve fair pay for FBU members. The current situation cannot continue and only through standing and fighting together can we achieve a desperately needed pay rise.
Yours in unity.
Matt Wrack
General Secretary
