LANCASHIRE firefighters are to be balloted for strike action this summer over planned changes to their pensions.

The secretary of Lancashire’s Fire Brigade Union (FBU) said the union had ‘been left with no choice’ but to put industrial action to a member vote after the government refused to back down over its decision to push ahead with proposals.

Steve Harman, FBU secretary for the region, said leading MPs were attempting to implement an unworkable plan ‘that will fail’.

He said the changes, first outlined in a 2010 government emergency services pensions report, to increase the pension age to 60 and reduce pensions benefits would impact on both fir-efighters, and the public, negatively.

He said he feared that firefighters could be forced out of their jobs early due to a lack of appropriate positions. He also believed that increasing pension contributions, set to rise to 13per cent of salaries as government contributions reduce, would lead to staff dropping out of the scheme.

Pension contributions are already among the highest in the UK, at an average of 11per cent, to account for the earlier retirement age, due to be scrapped.

Mr Harman said: “This is an unworkable plan that will fail and, since the government has refused to change its position on this issue, we have no choice but to ballot for industrial action.

“By raising the retirement age, the government is essentially asking ageing firefighters, who will not be as fit as they were when they first joined the service, to fight fires on the front line.

“When they first announced the review, they promised redeployment of staff to more suitable areas but, following massive cuts to the service, these positions just don’t exist. The only result of these changes, if they go ahead, will be a negative impact on the service in the long run.”

The ballot will take place between July 18 and August 29.

Blackburn MP Jack Straw said that he would be happy to meet members of the union to discuss the issue.

He said: “The ballot is an individual matter for the FBU to decide.

“I hope that it doesn’t have to come to industrial action because it’s an emergency service.”