Skip to main content
The Actuary: The magazine of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries - return to the homepage Logo of The Actuary website
  • Search
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on LinkedIn
  • Visit @TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Visit the website of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Logo of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries

Main navigation

  • News
  • Features
    • General Features
    • Interviews
    • Students
    • Opinion
  • Topics
  • Knowledge
    • Business Skills
    • Careers
    • Events
    • Predictions by The Actuary
    • Whitepapers
    • Moody's - Climate Risk Insurers series
    • Webinars
    • Podcasts
  • Jobs
  • IFoA
    • CEO Comment
    • IFoA News
    • People & Social News
    • President Comment
  • Archive
Quick links:
  • Home
  • The Actuary Issues
  • August 2013
08

Firefighters vote to strike over retirement age hike

Open-access content Friday 30th August 2013 — updated 5.13pm, Wednesday 29th April 2020

Firefighters have voted to strike over the government’s proposed pension reforms, which would increase the normal pension age from 55 to 60.


30 AUG 2013 | THE ACTUARY TEAM
Firefighters have voted to strike over the government’s proposed pension reforms, which would increase the normal pension age from 55 to 60.

In a ballot called by the FBU, 78% of those polled were in favour of strike action.

The vote was called after what the union said was nearly two years of negotiations with government.

Among the reforms, which form part of the government's wider changes to a host of public sector pensions, it has been proposed that firefighters normal pension age would rise from 55 to 60.

However the union said that over half of current firefighters between the ages of 50 and 54 are not able to meet the minimum physical standard. Beyond the age of 55, two-thirds fail to do so.

Although the government proposed that older firefighters could be moved to less physically demanding roles, FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said only a handful of such posts exist, meaning job losses could follow.

'We cannot expect large numbers of firefighters in their late-50s to fight fires and rescue families without creating danger to the public and firefighters,' he said.

'This result is a clear indication of the anger felt by firefighters. It's still not too late for common sense to prevail if the government is willing to return to the negotiating table. None of us want a strike, but we cannot compromise on public and firefighter safety.'

Responding to the vote, fire minister Brandon Lewis said an independent review, commissioned with the agreement of the FBU, found no reason why every firefighter who remains physically active could not work until sixty.

One in three members of the firefighters' pension scheme already has a retirement age of sixty following the introduction of new terms in 2006, and no-one would be forced to work longer, he added.

'This government does not believe that industrial action is necessary. The pension on offer to firefighters is one of the most generous in the public sector.

'The FBU is creating a smokescreen around the issues of fitness and retirement age to justify their behaviour whilst ignoring the facts.'

This article appeared in our August 2013 issue of The Actuary.
Click here to view this issue
Filed in
08
Topics
Pensions

You might also like...

Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

New Fast-Growing Team - Actuarial Systems Development

London (Greater)
Excellent Salary Package
Reference
143762

Actuarial Pension Consultant – Scotland/Remote – Up to £90,000 plus bonus

Edinburgh / Glasgow / Remote working
Up to £90,000 + Bonus
Reference
143761

Part Qualified Pensions Actuary– Specialised Pensions Consultancy - Scotland/Remote - Up to £70,000

Edinburgh / Glasgow / Remote working
Up to £70,000 + Bonus
Reference
143760
See all jobs »
 
 

Today's top reads

 
 

Sign up to our newsletter

News, jobs and updates

Sign up

Subscribe to The Actuary

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
Spread-iPad-slantB-june.png

Topics

  • Data Science
  • Investment
  • Risk & ERM
  • Pensions
  • Environment
  • Soft skills
  • General Insurance
  • Regulation Standards
  • Health care
  • Technology
  • Reinsurance
  • Global
  • Life insurance
​
FOLLOW US
The Actuary on LinkedIn
@TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Facebook: The Actuary Magazine
CONTACT US
The Actuary
Tel: (+44) 020 7880 6200
​

IFoA

About IFoA
Become an actuary
IFoA Events
About membership

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy
Think Green

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to The Actuary Magazine
Contribute

The Actuary Jobs

Actuarial job search
Pensions jobs
General insurance jobs
Solvency II jobs

© 2023 The Actuary. The Actuary is published on behalf of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries by Redactive Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ