The Fire Brigades Union has announced that a 24-hour strike will take place in England and Wales from 9am on Thursday 12 June.

This will be the longest strike yet in the three-year dispute over pensions.

The announcement follows the Government’s confirmation that it will implement a new pension scheme without further negotiations.

A second strike is planned for 10am-5pm on Saturday 21 June.

In addition, firefighters will not carry out any voluntary overtime or conduct training of strikebreakers between the beginning of the first strike and 9am on Sunday 22 June.

Matt Wrack, General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, commented: “The minister has decided to bury his head in the sand, but he must accept that firefighters simply will not give up fighting for their futures — and our fire and rescue service.

“Concerns over these unworkable proposals remain as valid and grave as ever, and the government has ignored all the evidence including it’s own reports.

“It is as ever a difficult decision for us to take, but the only way for us to resolve this unnecessary and costly dispute is for the government to start listening to reason.”

The two strikes will be the thirteenth and fourteenth over pensions. The first was on Thursday 24 September 2013.

Fire services plan to provide an emergency response service during the industrial action but are advising the public that it will be at a reduced level, so they should do what they can to reduce the risk of fire in their homes and businesses.