Firefighters set to join public sector’s new industrial action

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in Wales and England will walk out on July 10, when more than a million council and health workers, teachers and civil servants, will be taking industrial action.

The walkout will be the biggest over pay since the coalition came to power, with plans for further strikes later in the year.

The FBU has been embroiled in a long-running row with the Government over controversial plans to change pensions and the retirement age of firefighters.

A series of strikes have been held over the past year, but the dispute remains deadlocked.

The FBU strike will last between 10am and 7pm and will be the 15th in the firefighters’ campaign. The union is also expected to announce further action later this week.

Firefighters in Lancashire were among those joining the picket lines during the last strike.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “The FBU has wanted to settle our dispute for a long time, but the government at Westminster is simply not listening.”

Fire Minister Brandon Lewis said: “The Government believes a solution can be reached, but not under the shadow of industrial action.”