Firefighters accused of putting lives at risk as ballot begins

Firefighters threatening national strikes were accused yesterday of "playing Russian roulette" with people's lives.

As ballot papers were sent out to more than 50,000 members of the Fire Brigades Union, the leader of Britain's fire authorities pleaded with FBU leaders to wait for the result of an inquiry into pay and modernisation of the service before pressing ahead with stoppages.

In his most fierce denunciation of the union yet, Ted George, the chairman of the employers' group and a Labour councillor, said: "I cannot understand why firefighters who daily risk their lives to keep other people safe will now play Russian roulette and turn away from their proud commitment to save lives, all for the sake of a couple of months.''

Mr George, a Wrexham councillor and chairman of the North Wales Fire Service, argued that an inquiry set up by the Government at the request of the employers – but without the co-operation of the union – could meet the aspirations of firefighters. He said that the inquiry was due to report in December. "Make no mistake. If the union turns its back on an independent inquiry, which could resolve this dispute, and rushes ahead into a strike, lives and homes will be at risk.''

More than 52,000 members of the FBU could be taking industrial action by the end of next month as part of a long-running campaign for a 40 per cent wage rise to take their pay to £30,000. The union confidently expects its members to vote "yes" in the ballot.

Andy Gilchrist, the general secretary of the FBU, said there was still time for the employers to resolve the dispute and head off the first national strike in the fire service for 25 years. The FBU also attacked the announcement that troops trained to crew the 900 ageing military Green Goddesses, which would be used in a strike, had been redeployed. "It is unbelievable that this Government can treat the public of this country with such contempt," Mr Gilchrist said.

However, the employers said they had conducted an opinion poll among 1,000 members of the public that showed the majority would not support industrial action.

Two thirds of those questioned believed the employer's offer of 4 per cent plus an independent inquiry into firefighters' pay was reasonable, while 53 per cent described the union demand as unreasonable. Four out of five of those questioned said they believed any increase above 4 per cent should be linked to changes to the fire service.