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Bid to avert firefighters' strike Firefighters set strike deadline
(about 3 hours later)
Talks aimed at preventing a threatened strike by firefighters in London over pay are to be held. Firefighters will ballot for strike action unless a pay dispute is resolved by 22 August.
The Fire Brigades Union has claimed 380 watch managers face pay cuts of up to £2,000 a year under re-grading plans. The Fire Brigades Union announced the deadline after three-and-a-half hours of talks with the London Fire Brigade.
The union has claimed that 380 watch managers face pay cuts of up to £2,000 a year under re-grading plans.
London Fire Brigade said the re-grading formed part of a deal which ended a strike over pay in 2003. It described Friday's talks as "constructive".
The union's executive has approved an industrial action ballot among more than 5,000 firefighters in the capital if the dispute is not resolved.The union's executive has approved an industrial action ballot among more than 5,000 firefighters in the capital if the dispute is not resolved.
The London Fire Brigade said the re-grading formed part of the deal which ended a pay strike in 2003. 'Political interference'
The brigade said it understood a large lobby of firefighters had been arranged for Friday's meeting, which it described as "completely inappropriate" at this stage in the discussions. Tim Hoy, who has been a watch manager at Finchley Fire Station in north London for 23 years, blamed the dispute on "political interference".
"Dodgy politicians have never had to do a 15-hour shift and go into a burning building, or extricate some poor person's child from underneath a bus," Mr Hoy said. "That's what we do for a living."
A union spokesman said: "We have made it clear to the London Fire Brigade that if by 22 August meetings have not been successful and we cannot reach a deal, that is the point we will start the ballot."
A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: "We will be having further talks starting next week, with a view to concluding discussions by 22 August."
The next talk is due to take place on 16 July.