FIREFIGHTERS in Derbyshire are set to strike on eight consecutive days this month over the Government's "vicious" pension attacks.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said firefighters will walk out on Monday, July 14 – slamming current proposals by the government as "unacceptable, unworkable, unrealistic" and nothing short of a "vicious" attack on firefighters' pensions.
Fire crews will go on strike on:• Monday 14 July: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm• Tuesday 15 July: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm• Wednesday 16 July: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm• Thursday 17 July: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm• Friday 18 July: 6am–8am and 11pm–1am on Saturday 19 July• Saturday 19 July: 11am–1pm and 11pm–1am on Sunday 20 July• Sunday 20 July: 5pm–7pm• Monday 21 July: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: "The government must realise that firefighters cannot accept proposals that would have such devastating consequences for their futures, their families' futures — and the future of the fire and rescue service itself.
"We have tried every route available to us to make the government see sense over their attacks.
"Three years of negotiations have come to nothing because the government is simply unwilling to compromise or even listen to reason despite a huge amount of evidence showing their planned scheme is unworkable.
"Shorter strike periods have illustrated the strength of feeling amongst firefighters whilst limiting disruption to the fire service, the public and our members' working lives.
"But the government is merely ploughing ahead, forcing firefighters to react."
Firefighters are also due to strike next week on Thursday, July 10 in their campaign, alongside local government workers, teachers and civil servants, who are campaigning over a range of issues, including attacks on pay and pensions and workloads.
