Firefighters forced to use food banks, union boss says as staff to be balloted for strikes over pay
A union boss has warned that firefighters in the region are being forced into using food banks, as it emerged that they are to be balloted for strike action over pay.
Tens of thousands of firefighters and control room staff across the country are to be balloted in the latest outbreak of industrial unrest sweeping the country.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said 32,500 of its members across the UK will vote in the next few weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action.
It includes more than 1,100 members in the West Midlands.
The union said the move follows a two per cent pay offer made in June, which has not been increased despite the soaring rate of inflation.
The FBU says the pay offer represents a “significant real-terms pay cut”.
West Midlands FBU secretary Steve Price-Hunt said: "Firefighters, like other workers throughout the country, have suffered years of austerity.
"It's got to the point now where firefighters real-term pay has fallen dramatically below what's needed for the cost of living.
"We have firefighters using food banks and some won't be able to heat their homes this winter.
"They are putting their lives on the line every day and are not being paid appropriately.
"I'm sure that will be demonstrated during the ballot.
"We anticipate a ballot in the coming weeks."
The ballot is expected to be held in five weeks’ time.
The announcement was made just hours before the new prime minister took office on Tuesday, and follows a wave of industrial action this summer by tens of thousands of workers.
FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: “Taking strike action is always a last resort but our employers are increasingly leaving us with no choice.
“There is huge anger among firefighters at falling pay.
“Firefighters must be paid fairly – there is absolutely no question when it comes to this.
“It is the responsibility of fire service employers to provide decent pay offers and that has not happened.
“The ball is now in the fire service employers’ court. It is not too late for them to make a much better pay offer for consideration by our members.”
Firefighters went on strike over pensions almost a decade ago and there was a lengthy strike over pay almost 20 years ago.
