Firefighters may respond during strike

Yellow Goddesses have arrived in the province

Firefighters in Northern Ireland have left open the possibility that they will respond to a major incident during their 48-hour strike over pay.

About 500 military personnel trained in firefighting have arrived in the province ahead of Wednesday's strike.

The Army's fleet of 32 Northern Ireland 'goddess' firefighting appliances has already been deployed at bases throughout the province.

Jim Quinn from the Fire Brigades Union said firefighters would not let the public down.

Strike dates

13-15 November Starts and ends at 1800 GMT

22-30 November Starts/ ends 0900

4-12 December Starts/ ends 0900

16-24 December Starts/ ends 0900

"Our members will be on strike for 48 hours," he said.

"However over the past 30 years we have never let down the Northern Ireland public and we don't intend to now."

Meanwhile, in London talks involving national and Northern Ireland Fire Brigade's Union representatives broke down on Tuesday afternoon.

Firefighters' leader Andy Gilchrist left Tuesday's pay talks having rejected the findings of an independent review which recommended the 11% pay rise over two years, linked to changes in working practices.

Queen's University Belfast Vice Chancellor Sir George Bain, who headed the government-sponsored review had his recommendations offered the only way of reaching a rational deal.

Jim Quinn: Said firefighters would not let the public down

The FBU, which said the offer was "insulting and derisory", is demanding 40%.

Employers met on Monday night to study the eight-page interim Bain report and said they welcomed its "vision" of a future fire service.

Mr Gilchrist said the Bain review deal - 4% now and 7% next year - amounted to £10 a week extra for a firefighter with 14 years' service.

He said Sir George had set back the progress which had been made in previous talks.

Mr Gilchrist also hinted at "dark forces" in the government which were actually seeking to provoke only the second ever national fire strike by refusing a deal.

The dispute at a glance

"We have turned up today to pick up on the progress we made in the last few weeks and hopefully secure a decent and substantial rise for firefighters and control staff," he said.

Three other eight-day strikes are planned for before Christmas - the first national walkouts for 25 years.

Another firefighters' union, the Retained Firefighters Union (RFU) - which has a no-strike policy - welcomed the review, saying it could "form the basis" for negotiation and settlement.

The government welcomed the report and urged the union to call off the strikes and reach a deal with employers.

'Rational and equitable'

Fire service minister Nick Raynsford said he regarded the proposals as an "exciting, far-reaching" package.

He warned any pay hike must be linked to reform, increased flexibility and improved partnerships with other agencies.

Firefighters and emergency fire control staff have been "modernising" for years without a pay rise. Why should they back down?
J Drake, Gloucs

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Sir George said he was "disappointed" at the way his review had been received by the firefighters.

He said: "I don't believe the inquiry has scuppered the chances of a resolution.

"In the longer term it provides the only basis on which any kind of rational and equitable deal can be done."

He said both sides would have to return to the negotiating table, whether or not there was a strike, and he said his proposals would be there for them to work on.

Fire dispute at a glance
	Pay	Bain Review	Working Practices
Fire Brigades Union	Firefighters are calling for a 40% rise	FBU leader: "He has effectively wrecked the pay talks."	FBU leader: "Modernising the service should not be an excuse to undermine the union."
Employers	The employers have offered them an interim 4% rise	They have warmly welcomed the Bain report endorsing its "vision" of the future	"Any increase above 4% would have to be linked to modernisation and supported financially by the government."
Bain Review	Recommends a 4% rise in 2002 followed by 7% in 2003	"I think in the longer term it provides the only basis on which any kind of rational and equitable deal can be done."	Calls for reform and end to overtime ban and for more flexible working practices in return for a raise
Fire Service Minister	"We made it clear that if they [the employers] went beyond 4% they would have to fund that."	"I believe most fair-minded people would regard it as a good basis for the future terms of the fire service."	"Investment in public services must go hand in hand with improvement and modernisation."

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