Firefighter strike looms as talks end with no pay offer

Hopes of avoiding a two-day strike by Britain's 55,000 firefighters next week faded last night when negotiations ended without agreement. Fire authority managers said they would be unable to improve on a 4 per cent pay offer until Tuesday, 24 hours before the stoppage is due to begin. The union had sought an indication of better terms before then.

The Chief of Defence Staff has warned that a lengthy strike could jeopardise the ability of the Armed Forces to mount military operations against Iraq. Admiral Sir Michael Boyce told the Commons Defence Committee that the threatened walkouts were already posing problems for the forces, with frontline units being "stripped out" to provide cover for the firefighters on outdated Green Goddess engines.

Andy Gilchrist, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said he was "disappointed" his 50,000 members would have to wait until next week before being given a pay offer. He was diplomatic in public, but he was said to be "extremely angry" and one senior source said the decision to wait until 11th-hour talks before fresh proposals were tabled meant the stoppage was more likely to go ahead.

"They have got their noses to the wire," the source said. "Time is running out. They are leaving it far too late. It's nuts." The union had expected substantive talks to continue today and over the weekend. The FBU is seeking an increase of almost 40 per cent to take salaries up to £30,000 and while management has indicated that they will improve their offer, no figure has so far been mentioned.

Mr Gilchrist said "considerable progress" had been made on three of the four issues being negotiated, a new pay formula and equality for retained firefighters and control room staff. "The process has now stalled because of the absence of a key figure. The employers have requested more time to put together new proposals on pay." He warned that the strike to start at 6pm next Wednesday remained "live" and would not be called off unless the employers came up with a good offer.

Employers denied the negotiations had stalled and said they believed "constructive" progress had been made during the week. Ted George, chairman of the employers' side, said he had asked for the talks to be suspended until next week so that proposals could be formulated. Mr George said proposals were being drawn up "as we speak", adding: "We have asked the union to give us some time."

It is understood local authority leaders last night met officials from the office of the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott. The employers are waiting for the interim findings of an independent review into the fire service by Sir George Bain. His final report is not due until mid-December, but he is widely expected to bring forward some elements to aid the search for peace. The union has refused to take part in the inquiry, and believes it is irrelevant to agreeing a deal.

As well as next Wednesday's strike, the union has set three eight-day walk-outs from the end of November to Christmas Eve. A decision by the FBU to call off an eight-day strike, due to start yesterday, resulted in industrial action at several London and Essex fire stations by firefighters objecting to the gesture.

* Management at Glasgow's underground yesterday dismissed 17 drivers after a wildcat strike over changes to working practices brought the system to a standstill.