Decision imminent over firefighters' strikes

Last ditch talks between firefighters union representatives and employers over pay demands broke up last night, with a decision on whether strike action will go ahead expected on Monday.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the fire service employers have met at the National Joint Council in London over the past 48 hours, and yesterday the union said that the talks continued in a "positive way". The union said that negotiators dealt with issues over equal pay for emergency fire control operators, pay parity for professional firefighters working the retained duty system, and a new pay formula.

Despite this, there has not been a firm offer made to the union in relation to their demands for a 40% pay increase – raising the firefighters salary to £30,000 a year from its current level of £21,000.

Positive noises also emerged from Wednesday's round table discussions, and a union spokesperson said that talks had been "conducted in a constructive atmosphere".

However, the union official added that the strike action planned for November 6 remained "live" as of Wednesday night. An eight-day strike is planned to begin on Wednesday. The union have already called off two 48-hour strikes scheduled for last Tuesday and this coming Saturday to facilitate the current talks.

The government has consistently said that the treasury cannot "simply write a blank cheque" for the fire service, however worthy or deserving – as it may precipitate a rash of other public sector pay claims.

During a lobby briefing last week, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson (PMOS) said the government was urging the FBU to wait for the Bain Review, which is due to be published in a few weeks' time, before taking any drastic measures.

The PMOS said that it was up to the FBU to decide whether to engage in a needless confrontation, despite the existence of an independent review which was addressing their concerns. Adding that it was for the unions to explain why they were refusing to use the proper mechanisms.

Asked where the money would come from if the Bain Review recommended an increase in pay, the PMOS said that the two issues of pay and modernisation had to be addressed together.

The government's handling of the affair has attracted criticism, particularly after the government's director of communications Alastair Campbell inflamed tensions by describing the firefighters leaders as "Scargillite" – after the hard left union leader behind the miners strikes in the 80s.

The threat of strike action by firefighters has prompted fears of secondary action from rail unions. Union leaders have said that they would consider telling their members to down tools over fears that safety would be compromised in the absence of adequate fire protection.

It also emerged today that 3,500 naval personnel have been seconded to man the MoD's Green Goddesses – leaving one third of the fleet at anchor.

(GMcG)