Latest editorial
Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) stand on the picket line at Cambridge Fire Station as firefighters in England and Wales strike for the second time in two days as part of their long-running row with the Government over pensions.
THE Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is heading for a “deep and long-lasting crisis if a series of disastrous and swingeing cuts are implemented,” the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) warned today.
The damning intervention came after service bosses released figures showing the extent of cuts they predict will be needed over the next four years, linked to declining real-terms funding from SNP ministers.
The emergency service, which is bracing itself for more devastating wildfires as climate change worsens, said it is set to lose £11.07 million this financial year, £11.3m next year, £7.3m in 2025-26 and £6.9m in 2026-27.
The FBU is demanding 52 weeks of full pay for women firefighters, highlighting the unique health risks they face — and the continuing need to recruit and retain more women if policies like this are still not in place, writes SEONA HART
