04.11.13
Pension strikes continue for firefighters
Firefighters are striking for the third time against increasing the pension age.
The Fire Brigades Union warns that working up to 60 years old is too old. The current retirement age is 55.
FBU general secretary, Matt Wrack, said: “If the government is serious about firefighters being protected from being sacked without access to their pensions as it claims to be, why won’t it draft the pension regulations accordingly?
“The threat of firefighters facing the sack without access to a full pension as they get older is only one aspect of our campaign, but discussions could move forward quite easily with this simple step.”
Fire minister Brandon Lewis said: “We offered firefighters similar fitness principles to those the FBU accepted in Scotland. The FBU should reconsider their decision to strike – announced just four days into discussions – and work for a resolution to this dispute.”
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