A Salford firefighter has reassured the public ahead of possible strikes.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) are to be balloted for strike action after they rejected a 5 per cent pay offer.
Greater Manchester FBU secretary David Pike, who works at the Irlam station, said:
“The chief fire officer of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has a legal duty to provide a fire and rescue service. It’s one of things he has to do, so in the event of industrial action, whether that’s strike action or action short of strike, he has to ensure there is a response to the risk in the city.
“Now clearly that won’t be as good as having a fully crewed professional fire and rescue service, but that’s for the chief fire officer of the county to put in place.”
The ballot for strike action will be held between December 5 and January 23.
Mr Pike, who has been a firefighter for 20 years, said they had absolutely no choice but to go on strike over pay concerns.
He said: “In real terms firefighters are suffering a £4,000 deficit of where they should be at and we’ve got firefighters visiting food banks. We’ve got firefighters actually living on fire stations in between shifts because they can’t afford to pay their bills and keep warm in their own homes.”
If the FBU members vote to strike they will join the RMT, Royal College of Nursing, the Communication Workers Union and GMB who are all involved in industrial action heading into 2023.
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