LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - British firefighters have
voted to accept an improved pay offer from fire service
employers, their trade union said on Monday, averting the
possibility of disruptive strike action in yet another critical
public service.
About 96% of Fire Brigades Union (FBU) members who took part
in a ballot voted in favour of the new pay offer, the union
said. The turnout for the ballot was 84%.
The pay offer entails a 7% rise backdated to last July and
another 5% increase from July this year. The union leadership
had recommended the new offer to its members last month, calling
it a "significant shift" from a previous offer of just 2%.
The firefighters had voted in January for a nationwide
strike, which would have been their first national walkout on
pay since 2003.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been facing pressure
to help end a wave of disruptive strike action by largely
public-sector workers like nurses and ambulance staff, teachers,
civil servants and rail workers.
Trade unions representing workers acorss a range of sectors
have been pushing for pay rises that better reflect double-digit
inflation in Britain.
Ambulance worker strikes planned for this week have been
paused in order to hold pay talks with the government.
(Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; editing by William James)
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.