(Adds quote, background on government bill to curb strikes)
By Sachin Ravikumar
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 more disruptive strike action in a critical
public service.
Unions representing workers across a range of sectors have
been pushing for pay rises that better reflect double-digit
inflation in Britain.
Around 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 FBU leadership has been determined not to sugar-coat
the offer," FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack said in a
statement.
"For the current year, 7% is still another real terms
pay cut. For the following year, when inflation is forecast to
be lower, 5% may amount to a slight increase in real terms pay."
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.
Sunak has outlined plans for
legislation
that will ensure key public services — like fire, ambulance
and rail services —maintain minimum safety levels during
industrial action.
The FBU and other trade unions have said they would oppose
the bill.
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)
