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| Firefighters vote in favour of strikes | Firefighters vote in favour of strikes |
| (21 days later) | |
| Firefighters have voted by almost four to one in favour of strikes in a row over pensions, threatening their first nationwide walkout in a decade. | Firefighters have voted by almost four to one in favour of strikes in a row over pensions, threatening their first nationwide walkout in a decade. |
| Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) backed industrial action by 18,277 votes to 5,166, meaning 78% of those balloted were in favour. | Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) backed industrial action by 18,277 votes to 5,166, meaning 78% of those balloted were in favour. |
| The union said planned changes to pensions were unaffordable and unworkable, would impose an increase in members' contributions and would put firefighters at greater risk of dismissal without access to a proper pension if they were unable to maintain fitness standards as they approached the retirement age of 60. | The union said planned changes to pensions were unaffordable and unworkable, would impose an increase in members' contributions and would put firefighters at greater risk of dismissal without access to a proper pension if they were unable to maintain fitness standards as they approached the retirement age of 60. |
| The FBU's general secretary, Matt Wrack, said: "Expecting large numbers of 60-year-olds to fight fires and rescue families is dangerous to the public and to firefighters. | The FBU's general secretary, Matt Wrack, said: "Expecting large numbers of 60-year-olds to fight fires and rescue families is dangerous to the public and to firefighters. |
| "The government is simply ignoring the evidence about the physical demands of firefighting and has been unable to answer our concerns during two years of negotiations. | "The government is simply ignoring the evidence about the physical demands of firefighting and has been unable to answer our concerns during two years of negotiations. |
| "None of us want a strike, but we cannot compromise on public and firefighter safety. We hope common sense prevails, and the government returns to the negotiating table." | "None of us want a strike, but we cannot compromise on public and firefighter safety. We hope common sense prevails, and the government returns to the negotiating table." |
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