South Yorkshire firefighters plan further strike over shift changes

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in South Yorkshire held a series of strikes last year after plans by bosses to implement 12-hour day and night shifts were widely condemned by firefighters.

The FBU also accused the fire authority of threatening to sack 744 firefighters if new contracts were not accepted.

A breakthrough was reached when fire chiefs agreed to bring in mediators, but negotiations broke down last month.

Crews now plan to walk out for 10 days from January 24.

The FBU and the fire authority last month agreed to 11-hour day shifts and 13-hour night shifts but the proposal was later rejected in a local union vote, so fire chiefs went back to the 12-hour shifts proposal.

Chief fire officer Mark Smitherman called the news "disappointing and baffling" and said the public was being put at risk because of the FBU's rejection of the compromised shift changes.

He added: "We have done everything possible to resolve this dispute through negotiation and are incredibly frustrated that the FBU have rejected the recommendations of their own officials to end this dispute.

"Considering all the job losses and pay cuts being implemented elsewhere across South Yorkshire and the UK, I would urge the FBU to get into the real world."

He also said contingency plans to provide full emergency cover had been put in place during the strike period.

The FBU said in a statement it put a proposal to the fire authority and senior managers on January 19 but the authority would not meet to consider it until after the next set of strikes have started.

The union said it had proposed that shift duration and related issues, including meal breaks stand-down and work routines, should be immediately referred to the National Joint Council Joint Secretaries.

The fire authority responded by suggesting taking the shift duration issue to Acas and other issues to the Joint Secretaries, according to the FBU.

Ian Murray, FBU regional secretary, said this approach would waste time.

He said: "This is the same old fudge and delay we've had for months.

"We have agreements and we have ways of resolving disputes but the fire authority won't take them.

"They put on the public mask of moderation but behind the scenes it has always been spoiling tactics and threats.

"The fire authority can meet at any time to consider our proposals but they are choosing to do so after the dispute has started."

Jerry Pagan, another regional secretary for the FBU, warned there could be more strikes after the upcoming industrial action if no progress was made in ending the dispute.

He added: "We (FBU) don't believe there is a necessity to change the shift patterns.

"We are concerned that if they equal up the shift duration to 12-hour shifts, that gives them the ability to take fire engines off the run at night and reduce fire cover for the public of South Yorkshire."