Bryan HayFirefighters and fire control staff in the UK have been offered a package of pay improvements following extensive negotiations. The proposal includes an above-inflation pay rise of 4%, a significant uplift to maternity pay providing 26 weeks at full pay, and a substantial increase in the retainer for on-call firefighters, which is set to rise from 10% to 15% of basic pay.
FBU members are set to vote on this offer, which, if approved, will see the pay increase take effect from July 2024 and the retainer fee adjustment from January 2025. The FBU executive council has given a unanimous recommendation for acceptance.
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, reflected on the offer’s implications, saying, “This is a step forward for firefighters and control staff, although it obviously does not resolve all issues… While a 4% pay rise will not undo the damage of 14 years of austerity and attacks on pay, it is a real terms increase.”
Wrack also highlighted the union’s role in achieving these gains and the importance of collective bargaining. He stressed that the offer is part of a continued effort to improve conditions for fire service staff, particularly with the potential for government change: “Our fight for decent pay and conditions for the long term continues.”
