Firefighter strikes have been postponed after an increased pay offer from employers, the Fire Brigades Union has announced.

The new offer is for 7% backdated to July 2022, and then 5% from 1 July this year.

This has now been put to a ballot of members, and the union has postponed the announcement of strike dates, pending its outcome.

Read more: More strikes to come – who is taking action, and when?

The union said while discussions will be “honest and sober”, the new offer still represents a real terms pay cut, with firefighters experiencing a 12% drop in earnings since 2010.

One in five jobs in the service has been cut in the same period, according to the FBU.

Firefighters had previously overwhelmingly backed action, with 88% voting in favour of strikes.

East of England ambulance workers vote to strike

More than 100,000 civil servants to strike on budget day next month

Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney constituencies to be hit by ‘targeted’ EIS teacher strikes

In November, members rejected an offer of a 5% pay increase, with unions arguing this was below inflation and would be felt as a real-terms cut by workers.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “Today, firefighters were given a new pay offer.

“This offer is testament to the power of collective action through the Fire Brigades Union. Last year we were offered an insulting 2%. The employers have now revised their position.

“We have achieved this increase because of the massive vote in favour of strike action by firefighters and control staff across the country, which made clear the strength of feeling among firefighters about cuts to their wages.”

The last time there was a nationwide walkout by firefighters was in 2003.

Read more:
‘One pay cheque away from homelessness’
Rising support for unions – poll
‘We are not even asking for a payrise’ says junior doctor

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Polling previously showed strong public support for strike action by firefighters, the union said, with around three in five people backing action.

The industrial action comes on the back of research by the FBU and the University of Central Lancashire, which found firefighters are more likely to die of cancer than the general public.

Related posts:

UK set to shift target for reducing emissions ahead of world leaders summit UK records 37,314 more coronavirus cases and 114 deaths, daily figures show Princess Beatrice ‘so delighted’ after giving birth to a daughter Under-12s rugby player cruelly trolled heading to final at Twickenham after support from game’s biggest stars Fancy 20 hours in the air? Non-stop Sydney to London route to be world’s longest flight Three people killed in car crash in Cornwall Boris Johnson narrowly survives confidence vote – but suffers significant Tory rebellion Three generations of women among first to say goodbye to Queen Heading to Cornwall? Take your own medicine, travellers told GP surgery accidentally texts patients they have ‘aggressive lung cancer’ Chaos in Aldi supermarkets after brief sale of new drink promoted by YouTubers Virtual hospital wards no substitute for real people, says patient waiting for hip operation