Fresh talks in bid to save fire pay deal

Talks aimed at averting a fresh wave of strikes by firefighters start today.

The Fire Brigades Union says the meeting with fire authority employers is a bid to rescue a pay deal worked out after stoppages in 2002 and 2003.

The second stage of the deal, worth 3.5 per cent from last November, has not been paid, and another increase of

4.2 per cent, due this month, has also been held up.

If there is no breakthrough by the end of the month, a new strike ballot will start on 9 August. The fresh talks follow intervention by TUC general secretary Brendan Barber.