Firefighters across West Yorkshire to walk out on strike

Firefighters will stage another strike today after eight consecutive days of action.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) will walk out between 5pm and 7pm this evening (Monday) as a blazing row over pensions rumbles on.

The strikes are in protest against government plans to raise the retirement age from 55 to 60 and to increase individual pension contributions.

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Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “The government must realise that firefighters cannot accept proposals that would have such devastating consequences for their futures, their families’ futures — and the future of the fire and rescue service itself.

“We have tried every route available to us to make the government see sense over their attacks.

“Three years of negotiations have come to nothing because the government is simply unwilling to compromise or even listen to reason despite a huge amount of evidence showing their planned scheme is unworkable.”

FBU members will meet again on Tuesday, July 29 to discuss taking further action.

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Assistant chief fire officer Dave Walton said: “We are now nearing the end of the current eight day strike series and we ask the public to remain careful until the end of industrial action on Monday evening and stay vigilant.”