FIREFIGHTERS in Lancashire will strike for the fifth and sixth time today and tomorrow between 6pm and 10pm.

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: “It’s now been almost two months since the government has been willing to meet for negotiations despite several invitations from us.

“Until they do and until they start to actually resolve the dispute, we’ll keep up the pressure for the sake of public safety and our members’ pensions.

“In a week when the full details of a £7,600 pay rise for MPs’ — which will also increase their pensions — emerged, firefighters’ anger at the governments unworkable, unaffordable and unfair proposals will be even greater.

“No firefighter wants to strike, but we cannot allow the government’s ludicrous proposals — and outright hypocrisy — to stand. We’ll keep on fighting until the government sees sense and comes back to negotiations.”

Most firefighters take home approximately £1,650 a month and already pay £320 or more a month into their pensions.

From April 2014 this will rise for the third year in a row to over £340 a month (£4,000 a year), they claim.