New union boss warns of firefighter strikes

Matt Wrack, the new hard Left leader of the Fire Brigades Union, today warned of strike action to prevent planned cuts in the service.

Mr Wrack said it was time to have "serious discussions" with the Government over plans to merge fire control centres, which the union says could cost 900 jobs.

London-based Mr Wrack won control of the powerful union from former general secretary Andy Gilchrist last Friday.

The FBU's annual conference was starting today in Southport, with calls for industrial action expected from across the country. There will not, however, be debate about the 53,000-strong union rejoining the Labour Party after it decided last year to disaffiliate following bitter clashes with the Government over pay. Strike action two years ago led to nationwide stoppages.

Mr Wrack, 42, had been an outspoken critic of the union leadership's handling of the dispute and was regarded as the unofficial leader of the rank and file during and since the dispute.

The union warns of huge job losses because of plans to reduce the number of control centres from 46 to nine in England and from eight to three in Scotland.

Mr Wrack said today: "It will lead to a poorer service as well as costing well over £1 billion."

Firefighters are also angry about plans to raise their retirement age.