Fire chiefs in Hertfordshire are offering firefighters £1,000 per shift to break strikes as part of a 'resilience fire cover' scheme.
Following a decisive 88% yes vote for strike action, the Fire Brigades Union has given the government and employers until the 9th February to make a decent pay offer. If an acceptable offer is not made, firefighters and control staff will take industrial action across the UK.
FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack told The Mirror:
If the money can be found to pay people these kinds of sums to break strikes, it can be found for a decent pay deal.
What is being reported about Hertfordshire is likely to be the tip of the iceberg. All over the country, fire and rescue services will be putting in place contingency arrangements – very often at great expense.
This is an insult to firefighters who are struggling after more than a decade of falling pay. It also represents a terrible use of public money.We registered a pay claim in May 2022 and have been trying to negotiate a settlement ever since.
The average firefighter has lost the real terms equivalent of about £4,000 a year in pay since 2010. We want to resolve this dispute without striking and it’s up to the employers to come forward with a decent pay offer.”
