A union official has warned Teesside firefighters are being forced into using foodbanks and taking mortgage holidays as the cost of living crisis bites.

A dispute is rumbling on over a two per cent national pay offer to firefighters across the country. National leaders from the Fire Brigades Union have rejected the offer by employers – with Cleveland’s FBU unanimously turning down the two per cent at recent branch meetings.

Inflation in July stood at 10.1 per cent – the highest rate since 1982 – and energy bills are forecast to soar further. Branch secretary Dave Howe said it was a “massive insult” to think firefighters could get by on a two per cent pay rise. He called on the government to step in and make more money available to firefighters.

Mr Howe said: “You’ve got firefighters going to foodbanks and firefighters who can’t afford their mortgages – and have had to take holidays from them.

“It’s the same as other industries at the moment – their energy bill is going to work out at a third of their monthly income.”

Analysts at finance service firm Citi say they expect the October energy price cap to reach an annual cost average of £3,717 – with a further increase in energy bills to come in January.

Their projections calculate the cap will hit £4,567 in the new year – pushing inflation towards a new peak of 18 per cent early next year. The FBU official explained how the two per cent pay offer to firefighters was formally rejected nationally.

Now work to prepare a national ballot for strike action in continuing. Mr Howe said: “Even our chief fire officer has said he has budgeted for a two per cent pay rise but if it’s any more than that, he doesn’t have the money in our budget in Cleveland.

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“It’s the same for other Fire and Rescue services around the country.” He added: “We would encourage the fire authority and chief fire officer and all stakeholders in the Fire Brigade to support firefighters in their fight for better pay.”

Police officers will get a £1,900 pay uplift from next month – the equivalent of a five per cent rise when averaged out across all pay bands. Firefighters accepted a 1.5 pr cent increase last year before inflation’s grip took hold.

Cleveland fire chief Ian Hayton believed firefighters and staff deserved a pay rise “significantly higher” than the two per cent on the table. The Chief Fire Officer said: “In the midst of an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis – with the rate of inflation at about 10 per cent and rising – and the historic ‘real pay’ reductions to firefighters’ pay, the Cleveland Fire Authority’s position is clear.

“Firefighters and staff deserve a pay rise significantly higher than the current National Employers’ two per cent pay offer. The authority has currently budgeted for an increase of two per cent for all staff which enabled us to set a balanced budget for 2022/23.

“And while we strongly believe that staff deserve a pay rise significantly higher than that, we are acutely aware that for every one per cent increase above what we have budgeted for costs will add around £250,000 a year to the budget that we simply do not have. Therefore, we know that, locally, any significant increase cannot realistically be achieved long term without financial help from central Government.”

Mr Hayton believed financial help from the centre was both warranted and deserved. He added: “Therefore, in light of the growing tensions and potential for industrial action within the Fire and Rescue Service, the Chief Fire Officer, Ian Hayton and Cllr Paul Kirton, chairman of the Cleveland Fire Authority, have urged central Government and our local MPs to provide additional funding to be able to pay higher levels of pay than the two per cent we have budgeted for, without the need to cut services and/or jobs.”

The government says it’s putting £2.5bn into fire and rescue authorities in 2022/23. A Home Office spokesperson said: “Central Government has no role in setting Firefighter pay in England, as it is the responsibility of the National Joint Council (NJC) which consists of representatives from both the employers’ and employees’ side.

“Firefighters work tirelessly to protect our communities and it is essential they are paid fairly for the important work they undertake. At the same time, any decision on pay must be justifiable to the taxpayer.”

 

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