Firefighters' 40% pay claim 'detrimental' to economy says PM

Prime Minister Tony Blair remained defiant over the weekend claiming firefighters' 40% pay aspirations were unrealistic and would be detrimental to the economy.

In a televised statement, Mr Blair warned that such a rise would undermine the economy resulting in a 30% increase in income tax, higher mortgage and interest rates, and unemployment.

However, while accepting that firefighters did a vital job, he claimed that other public sector services provided just as valuable a resource to the public but were paid much less.

Responding to Mr Blair's statement, Fire Brigades Union (FBU) head Andy Gilchrist said firefighters had spent years modernising and would continue to modernise the service, but said the government-commissioned Bain report was a "cuts agenda".

He added: "The government needs to make in the next few days, a vital decision. Do we, or do we not, want to live in a society which places a real value on public service?

"It's said of course our rise will have dire consequences for the economy, so what of his own rise - the Prime Minister - or indeed his cabinet or his members of parliament colleagues?"

In Northern Ireland the public bickering has resulted in Ulster Unionist Party assembly members calling for an end to squabbling and for real negotiations to begin.

In a statement, the UUP group said: “This strike is much too serious to allow to drift. Both sides have responsibilities to the community they serve, and people are demanding a resolution before the stoppage drags on much further.

“In Northern Ireland, we have a Fire Service that we can be proud of. Its members are courageous and unstinting.

“They have been honoured by the Assembly for their selflessness and impartiality.

“We would urge the government and the FBU to broker a fair deal and not treat this stoppage as some test of strength. Lives depend on both sides reaching a settlement”.

Meanwhile, the province's Yellow Goddesses have been called out to fires in west Belfast and Londonderry over the weekend.

In Belfast's Donegall Avenue, a man and a woman were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation after a fire in their home.

In Londonderry, the alarm was raised at about midnight on Sunday at the Tilly and Henderson building.

It is the eighth time the Goddesses have been called out to the derelict building since the strike began.

Since the beginning of the fire brigade strike, there have been 470 emergency calls, 96 of which were hoaxes and 182 genuine calls.

(MB)