The strike ballot has opened for firefighters in Oxfordshire who are demanding a pay increase.

Last week firefighter and control staff representatives said that they would formally issue notice of ballot if “a substantial pay increase that takes into account the current level of inflation and the cost of living crisis” was not received by yesterday (December 4), after pay discussions had “failed to reach any resolution”.

No pay offer has been received and thus notice of ballot has been sent to fire and rescue employees.

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Firefighters and control staff across the country were offered a 5 per cent pay increase, which they rejected in a consultative ballot on November 14.

Members of the Fire Brigade Union delivered a clear verdict with a 79 per cent vote to reject the 5 per cent offer, with 78 per cent of eligible members voting in the ballot.

The offer was rejected as annual CPI inflation currently stands at 11.1 per cent.

The strike ballot has officially opened today (Monday, December 5) for nearly 33,500 members and will remain open until January 30.

The question on the ballot paper asks: ‘Are you prepared to take part in industrial action consisting of strike action’. The responses are ‘YES’ or ‘NO’.

If firefighters go on national strike, it would be the first national strike since pension action between 2013 and 2015 - which did not include control staff - and the first on pay since 2002-2003.

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: “This is an historic ballot for firefighters and control staff. We are rarely driven to these lengths.

“Nobody wants to be in this position. But after years of derisory pay increases and a pay offer that is well below inflation firefighters’ and control staff’s living standards are in peril.

“We have firefighters using foodbanks – we know that because FBU officials have had to sign off on members going to them. Firefighters and control staff worked throughout the pandemic and firefighters took on extra duties including moving the deceased.

“They have now been given a below-inflation pay offer.  It is utterly disgraceful to call people “key workers” and then treat them like this.

“Strike action is always a last resort, but we are left with no other option. We asked for a pay increase that takes into account the cost of living crisis and did not receive it.

“The ball is still in the employers’ and government’s court. We urge them to provide a decent pay offer and help bring this dispute to an end.”

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This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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