Burnham-On-Sea firefighters are today (Wednesday) taking part in a 24-hour nationwide strike.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) says today’s strike is the latest action in a long-running dispute about changes to firefighters’ pensions.
The FBU has accused ministers of offering an “unworkable” guarantee to protect firefighters aged over 55 who fail fitness tests “through no fault of their own”.
A government spokesman said firefighters have “one of the most generous pension schemes in the public sector” and the strike would “damage the reputation” of the service.
In December MPs backed government plans to raise the retirement age of firefighters in England from 55 to 60 years old and to increase their pension contributions.
However, the FBU accused the government of “blatantly misleading” MPs during the vote by saying there was a statutory guarantee that firefighters who failed fitness tests through no fault of their own would receive a full and unreduced pension.
It said it was unfair to expect firefighters aged 60 to have the same fitness levels as those in their 20s.
The union’s general secretary Matt Wrack said: “Firefighters are outraged at the behaviour of the Westminster fire minister Penny Mordaunt and her boss Eric Pickles, who misled Parliament by falsely claiming that they had introduced a statutory guarantee that a firefighter failing a fitness test through no fault of their own would receive a full and unreduced pension.
“After investigation, it is now clear beyond doubt that no fire service employer agrees that any such guarantee exists.”
The industrial action will be the latest in a series of strikes held over the dispute about pensions. Burnham fire crews have joined each strike, but cover has been available from Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue.
