Firefighters urged to reject pay offer

There is no mention of job losses

The firefighters union is to recommend members reject the latest deal put forward to end their pay dispute, described by employers as a final offer.

Local authorities said their offer of a 16% increase, staged over three years and linked to changes in working practices, was "exceptional" and would lead to a £25,000 salary within 15 months.

But Andy Gilchrist, leader of the Fire Brigades Union, described it as "sadly less" than an offer made last November.

And, after discussing it with the union's national executive council on Thursday evening, he announced he would be recommending to members that they reject it.

Mr Gilchrist said: "The most disappointing feature was that it is a far worse proposal on pay then we had put on the table last November.

We have put a very good deal to the Fire Brigades Union today it is now up to their members to ensure they take up that offer

Ted George, Local Government Association

"It is against that background, and the draconian conditions placed upon it, that the Executive have taken the decision to recommend that members should reject the proposal as it is currently constructed."

Mr Gilchrist said he would be seeking an "urgent" meeting with Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to discuss the offer.

He said it only offered an initial 4% rise in full-time pay and had pushed back giving part-time staff pay parity from November 2002 until November 2003.

However, BBC news correspondent Branwen Jeffreys said disagreement over working practices, rather than pay, had proved the real sticking point.

Good deal

A document given to the union said management would determine duty systems at stations as well as working hours and deployment of staff.

The union would also have to end its ban on overtime, while conditions of service issues would be decided locally.

The offer came in a three-page document discussed for six hours at the arbitration service Acas.

Representatives of local fire authorities urged the FBU accept the money and end its campaign of industrial action.

Councillor Ted George, of the Local Government Association, said he thought both sides were "closer to a settlement".

"We have put a very good deal to the Fire Brigades Union today, it is now up to their members to ensure they take up that offer," he said.

Ministerial approval

He added it would mean £25,000 a year for a frontline firefighter in 15 months' time.

"We have come to the point where we cannot go any further," said Mr George.

"This is a final offer as far as the employers are concerned within the constraints of the pay envelope available to us over the next three years."

But he admitted the employers would never shut the door on negotiations to try and resolve the dispute.

The government-approved offer of 16% over three years followed by a two-year pay formula would be in return for a modernisation package closely tied to Sir George Bain's review of the fire service.

The proposals came after FBU officials suggested they were ready to sign up to modernisation proposals in return for a better pay settlement.

Initially the FBU leaders raised "significant issues" when they were presented with the three page document on Thursday morning.

The two sides spent 45 minutes in face-to-face talks before adjourning to hold separate meetings.

After the union's executive have considered the offer, details will be given to a meeting of brigade and FBU representatives on Friday.

Part-time parity

Later this month a special national conference considers whether a fresh ballot of members should be called.

The document to be presented to FBU officials is understood to make no mention of job losses or station closures.

Andy Gilchrist: No knee-jerk reactions

However, all the details would have to negotiated, prior to a settlement.

The union has been hostile to reforms outlined in the Bain report on fire service modernisation throughout the dispute, describing it as "irrelevant and dangerous".

Union leaders could drop their opposition to overtime within the service and agree to changes in shift patterns, two major sticking points.

The firefighters have been in dispute with their local authority employers since calling for a 40% pay increase last year.

The FBU, which has organised a series of strikes since the 13 November, had previously rejected an offer of 11% over two years conditional on it accepting major reform of working practices.