Wales braced for second fire strike

Firefighters could return to the picket line on Friday

Last-minute talks between Fire Brigade unions and local government negotiators have broken down, meaning an eight-day strike will go ahead on Friday.

Union leaders said they had been made a "totally unacceptable" pay offer of 4% with any extra increase liked to modernisation of the fire service.

The employers claim they have offered firefighters a 16% pay rise as long as modernisation takes place in working practices.

Army and RAF fire crews across Wales are braced for the second national strike.

Forty Green Goddess Army fire appliances and a handful of RAF fire vehicles are in a state of readiness, with the stoppage due to begin on Friday at 0900GMT.

Fire pay dispute

FBU demand: 40%

Old offer: 11.3%

New offer: 16%

Initial payment: 4%

Old wage: £21,000

New wage: £25,000 by November 2003 (£28,000 for London area)

Firefighters at Cimla fire station, Neath, said they were "devastated" that talks had broken down.

Firefighter Chris Broad said: "Back in July, the employers wanted to offer us 16%.

"The members are in a state of shock, they are devastated and angry that they have to strike again."

Safety fears

His colleague Dave Morgan added: "We were waiting all day for a suitable offer.

"We are all devastated by this.

"The only thing that will prevent this becoming a long-running dispute is the government coming up with the money.

"I believe they are putting the public's safety at risk."

Dick Pearson, of the Fire Brigades Union, said the resolve of firefighters to go ahead with the strike if no deal was forthcoming was "extremely strong".

"Firefighters are extremely annoyed they have been forced into strike action. It goes against the grain of professionals to do so," said Mr Pearson. <

Dick Pearson FBU: 'Extremely annoyed'

Clive Protheroe, of Ely Fire Station, in Cardiff, said union members were acutely aware of the timing of the latest strike action, which would hit firefighters hard if they were not working for eight days.

"There is no good time for the fire service to go on strike," he said.

"We are going into Christmas which is an expensive time of year, but we are thinking of Christmases to come."

Members are anxious and frightened and they have taken the least line of resistance

Derek Chadbon, Retained Firefighters Union

A capacity crowd is expected at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday for the Wales v New Zealand rugby international.

But Stadium Manager Bob Evans said safety plans would be "more or less" the same as usual despite the likelihood of a fire strike.

Meanwhile, there have been fresh claims that retained firefighters - the service's part-time crews - have come in for intimidation by FBU members.

Firefighters on the picket line

In Abergavenny last week, FBU members picketed outside a station run by retained firefighters, and now their union is claiming half their membership has defected to the FBU.

But the FBU has dismissed the claims.

'Intimidation and threats'

RFU official Derek Chadbon said his union's membership had been "decimated" by defections to the FBU.

"It is down to intimidation and threats and it is reminiscent of the 1977 national strike," said Mr Chadbon.

"Members are anxious and frightened and they have taken the least line of resistance.

"People do not go into the fire service expecting this sort of thing."

Retained Firefighters Union members make up a minority of firefighters in Wales, but they have a significant role to play in many areas of the country.