United they stood

The story of the UK firefighters' dispute 2002-04

Roger Seifert and Tom Sibley, Lawrence & Wishart, 304 pages, paperback, £18.99

This is a fascinating and detailed account of one of the main industrial disputes of recent years.

It is based both on published documents and interviews with over 40 Fire Brigades Union (FBU) activists and officials conducted in 2004.

The book sets out the background to the dispute, looking at the old pay formula that had been established after the previous national strike in 1977.

It examines how the dispute was run and highlights the role of the government in repeatedly sabotaging any settlement.

Largely supporting the position of the then FBU leadership, the authors outline the disagreements within the union over the strategy and tactics employed during the strike as well as over the eventual outcome.