Chiefs' pay blasted as firefighters face 'in-work poverty'

THE size of fire service bosses’ pay has been slammed by a union chief as firefighters face in-work poverty:

- NEAL KEELING

Greater Manchester’s Chief Fire Officer, Dave Russel earns 172,205 a year joint-fourth highest for his rank out of 48 brigades in England.

Mr Russel is leading cultural change and improving the regional service’s performance after it was criticised in reports.

He is popular amongst firefighters and has _ publicly remained silent over potential strike action by crews. But his salary and that of other chief officers dwarfs the 32, 244 that a fully qualified firefighter earns.

As reported in the M.E.N., firefighters have started a strike ballot after there was no improvement on a five per cent pay offer.

It raises the real prospect of crews walking out over pay for the first time in 20 years.

Matt Wrack, the Manchesterborn national leader of the Fire Brigades Union says that after years of derisory pay offers’ firefighters were having to use foodbanks.