Employers reject fire proposals

Employers reject fire proposals

The dispute has been going on since November

Firefighters' employers have formally rejected proposals to end the long running pay dispute.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) had hoped that ideas put forward by industrial relations expert Frank Burchill would lead to meaningful negotiations.

But the employers said the only offer was the one made earlier this year and it was for the FBU to decide whether to accept that offer.

The BBC's Stephen Cape said the decision brought the prospect of more strikes a step closer.

Earlier this week union delegates at a special conference in Brighton, voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest pay and conditions offer of 16% over three years.

They also voted two to one to consult with every firefighter in Britain on proposals put forward by Professor Burchill, the chairman of the fire service's national negotiating body.

FBU veto

These have already been rejected by the employers as too expensive but they still have to be voted upon by the full membership of firefighters.

The Burchill recommendations would give the FBU a veto over many of the changes in working practices and enable firefighters to continue their current shift patterns.

Under the employers offer a qualified firefighter would receive £25,000 but the FBU has called for £30,000 a year.

Firefighters have agreed that no strikes would take place while the war in Iraq continues.

The UK's 40,000 full-time firefighters have held five strikes since the pay dispute began last year.