Support our Firefighters!

Solidarity with Firefighters’ strikes

6pm – 10pm Friday 13 December 2013

6pm – 10pm Saturday 14 December 2013

Support FBU pickets at firestations across Sussex

Defend Firefighters against “No Job, No Pension”

“In a week when the full details of a £7,600 pay rise for MPs — which will also increase their pensions — emerged, firefighters’ anger at the governments unworkable, unaffordable and unfair proposals will be even greater.  No firefighter wants to strike, but we cannot allow the government’s ludicrous proposals — and outright hypocrisy — to stand. We’ll keep on fighting until the government sees sense and comes back to negotiations.”  Matt Wrack, FBU General Secretary

Firefighters have been forced into taking further strike action as the Coalition government hasn’t even bothered to talk to them for nearly two months.   The Coalition and employers are forcing through an increase to firefighters’ retirement age from 55 to 60 – putting both the public and firefighters at increased risk in an emergency, and also leaving any firefighter losing their jobs due to lack of fitness unable to access their pension, leading to a bleak “no job, no pension” prospect for firefighters at the end of dangerous and arduous careers.  Added to this, firefighters are paying ever-increasing pension contributions of £320 or more from an average monthly take home pay of £1,650.  Read more about what this all means for firefighters here.

The dispute is also a protest against cuts to the Fire Service and increasing privatisation.  On Thursday 12 December, it was revealed that East Sussex Fire Authority has drawn-up a budget which will cut spending by almost a fifth over five years.  But Fire Authority members voted exclude the public and the media, so all discussions were behind closed doors.  Only the Labour members voted against this in support of an open discussion.  We strongly suggest that you contact East Sussex Fire Authority Members to register your opposition to these cuts, demand they do the same, and insist that all future discussions are in public.  Also contact your local councillors with the same message.  Even if your councillors are not members of the Fire Authority, they will be members of political parties who are represented there.  These councillors are elected to represent the people of Sussex.  Let’s make sure they do!  The recent floods and the latest serious fire in Brighton are clear examples of why we need to defend our Fire & Rescue Services from further cuts.

Please support firefighters’ picket lines when they strike again from 6pm to 10pm on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 December.  Using these handy FBU templates, please also write to your MP to object to these changes.  The Fire Service is facing huge cuts under the Coalition and Tory Fire Minister Brandon Lewis is pushing a privatisation agenda.  We must stand together with firefighters now to defend our Fire Service.