Firefighters to strike over pensions in England and Wales on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve

Firefighters to strike over pensions in England and Wales on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve

Firefighters campaigning against government attacks on their pensions will strike in England and Wales on both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, the Fire Brigades Union has announced.

Strikes will take place between:

• 7.00pm and midnight on Tuesday 24 December 
• 6.30pm on Tuesday 31 December and 12.30am on Wednesday 1 January 
• 6.30am and 8.30am on Friday 3 January 

As with previous strikes, on the three dates all FBU members in England and Wales will stop work apart from those working in control centres.

However, on top of these strike periods — the seventh, eighth and ninth to take place — on Christmas Eve all members in Scotland and those working in control centres across England, Scotland and Wales will refuse to work voluntary overtime.

And between 7pm on Friday 27 and 7pm on Sunday 29 December, all firefighters in England, Scotland and Wales except those working in control will refuse to work voluntary overtime.

The ban on voluntary overtime comes after a second ballot of FBU members voted by almost nine to one for additional industrial action on top of strikes.