21/05/2003

FBU leaders agree 16% pay rise

An apparent breakthrough has been achieved in the firefighters strike as FBU representatives accepted a 16% wage increase.

The union's Executive Council considered the proposed agreement at its meeting in London on 20 May 2003 and have agreed to recommend it to the membership at a recalled Annual Conference to be held in three weeks time.

The membership could yet vote against it and scupper the deal – but with the Deputy Prime Minister threatening to impose a weaker offer on the FBU, it is appears to be the best chance offer the union will get.

According to the deal between the union and local government employers, all current pay rates and retained fees for all ranks will be backdated to November 7 and increased by 4%. This increase will be paid as soon as possible after this agreement has been ratified and will be backdated.

From November 7 2003 a new pay structure, producing average pay increases of 7%, will be adopted. And from July 1, an increase of 4.2% will be applied to the new pay structure agreed at Stage 2 – for qualified/competent firefighters this would produce a cumulative increase of 16% over stages 1 to 3 and an annual salary of £25,000.

There are no redundancies planned and the wage increase will be funded out of natural wastage – ie retirements.

The FBU went on strike nine months ago over demands for a £30,000 annual wage packet. Union members took to the picket lines for a total of 15 days across the UK and 19,000 soldiers were drafted in as cover.

(GMcG)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

01 September 2011
Commission On Minimum Wage Visit
Two Low Pay Commissioners are to visit London next week on a fact-finding visit about the National Minimum Wage. The visit is one of a number of planned trips the Low Pay Commission is making around the UK during 2011 to "gather information on how the minimum wage is operating".
25 November 2014
Unison Calls On Welsh Assembly To Reject Pay Rise
Public sector workers' union Unison has called on the Welsh assembly to reject a proposed pay rise of £10,000. It follows the news that an independent panel has recommended an 18% pay increase for assembly members following the next general election in 2016. This would increase their pay from £54,000 to £64,000.
18 August 2009
Strike May Hit Bank Holiday Air Travellers
Airports may be left in chaos should proposed industrial action get the go-ahead. As the August Bank Holiday weekend looms, travellers may be facing the nightmare of both baggage handlers and check-in staff refusing to work. The dispute is set to hit all three of the UK's busiest airports where staff are being balloted for industrial action.
19 August 2014
New Data Shows Women Hit By 'Mid-Life Pay Crisis'
Female managers over 40 years old are earning 35% less than men, according to new data by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and XpertHR. To earn the same as a male manager over a career, a woman would have to work the equivalent of over 14 years more.
26 September 2008
Funding Boost Of £455m For Equal Pay Claims
Funding of £455m will be awarded to councils in England to allow back payments relating to thousands of equal pay claims from women workers. In a move to speed up long-term commitments to achieving equal pay for all council workers, local government minister John Healey gave the go-ahead to 34 councils to raise the money through capitlisation.