Firefighters' jobs 'at risk'

Unions say more frontline firefighters should be recruited

Up to 150 firefighters' jobs are at risk on Merseyside under re-structuring plans, union bosses claim.

The Fire Brigades' Union (FBU) was due to raise the concerns at a meeting of the county fire authority on Thursday.

Merseyside Fire Authority (MFA) said however, that the only change under the plans is not to replace 50 retired officers and more civilian recruitment.

FBU leaders believe that there should be more frontline firefighters' posts being created instead.

The union says that if re-structuring plans are approved the MFA will approve the axing of 149 uniformed posts.

'Deserved retirement'

However, Tony McGuirk, Merseyside's chief fire officer, said that no-one would lose their job under the plans.

"This is a situation where over the last year or so a lot of firefighters have retired to a very well deserved retirement - and good luck to them," he told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"What it means is that we propose - it is a proposal - that we're not going to replace every one of those firefighters who have retired.

"We will however be replacing a lot of them and a training course is going to commence for 16 brand new firefighters."

The authority said the re-structuring is part of a national plan to rationalise firefighting services.