Firefighter strikes: More industrial action set to be held during May bank holiday

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has declared that there will be another round of national walkouts as part of long-running row over pensions

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Ian McIntyre

Gallery: Cleveland Fire Brigade strike action in November 2013

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Firefighters are set to launch fresh strike action in their long-running row over pensions, it has been announced.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has declared that there will be national walkouts on the weekend of the early May bank holiday.

It will take place on:

:: Friday, May 2, between noon and 5pm

:: Saturday, May 3, between 2pm and 2am

:: Sunday, May 4, between 10am and 3pm.

A ban on voluntary overtime is also set to take place from 3pm on the Sunday until noon on Friday, May 9.

Cleveland Fire Brigade’s firefighters last took strike action over pensions on January 3.

However negotiations between the FBU and the Department for Communities and Local Government – as well as the devolved governments – have been taking place for three years.

Following the last strike, both the union and government have undertaken work examining financial, technical and legal issues and at recent meeting of the union’s executive council, it was decided if no proposals had been received by April 24, they would conclude that the Government was unwilling or unable to offer any improvement.

As a result, at a meeting yesterday, the union’s executive council unanimously decided to take further industrial action.

No one was available for comment at Cleveland Fire Brigade yesterday. But speaking previously, Chief Fire Officer Ian Hayton said they were “very disappointed that a negotiated settlement still has still not been reached”.

He added: “The safety of our communities is, and always will be, our number one priority.

“I can reassure the public we will continue to provide a professional emergency response throughout any period of disruption.

“We will respond promptly to all emergency calls received and the community volunteers who have come forward to be trained as auxiliary firefighters will play a large part in that response.”