FBU accuses employers of reneging on pay deal

The
Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has accused the Government and local authority
employers of failing to fulfil the pay promises that brought an end to the
bitter 10-month dispute.

The
industrial action came to an end in June after the union backed down from its
demands for a 40 per cent pay rise and accepted 16 per cent instead.

The
union claims that local authorities have now gone back on a deal to pay 7 per
cent of pay increases now and the rest in July 2004.

Instead,
firefighters’ employers are offering 3.5 per cent now, 3.5 per cent in the New
Year and the rest in the summer.

The
employers said that the pay rise had to be approved by the Audit Commission
before it could be fully applied, and this could never have happened until the
New Year.

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Andy
Gilchrist, general secretary of the FBU, expressed ‘outrage and anger’ at the
decision.

By Michael Millar