The Fire Brigades Union has announced it will hold a consultative ballot of members on the revised 5% pay offer from Monday 31 October to Monday 14 November in the next step of the pay campaign, with the the Executive Council recommending that members reject the offer.

Prior to the revised 5% offer, the union’s leadership had rejected a 2% offer following consultation with members and began preparing a ballot for strike action.

This ballot is a consultative ballot on the pay offer itself and rejection not automatically leading to strike action, however if members reject the offer, the union will move to formally ballot on strike action.

In this consultative ballot, members can vote online or by post. Members will receive the consultative ballot via email, or via post where we don’t hold members’ email addresses.  

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: “A 5 per cent pay offer means a significant real terms pay cut. Inflation is currently around 10%. We cannot go on like this. We are a democratic union and our members will decide, but the executive council could not in good faith recommend that members accept this offer.

“Firefighters and control staff are being forced to go to food banks and are struggling to pay for energy. We were part of the key workers who the prime minister stood outside every week and clapped for. We took on extra duties and helped protect our communities. A real terms pay cut is a disgusting way to thank us.

“The government and local authorities have to invest enough money into the fire service so that it works – this is not up for debate. Firefighters need a significant pay rise and the fire and rescue service must have enough resources.”