Firefighters' conference halted to consider strikes

The FBU firefighters' union reconvenes its annual conference this month, following the suspension of the week-long conference on its opening day last month.

The conference was adjourned to consult with members over whether they want to launch a new campaign of industrial action. Union leaders accuse local authority employers of introducing last-minute changes to the deal which ended the pay strike in 2002 and early 2003.

General secretary Andy Gilchrist said the employers had put the agreement in "serious jeopardy" because of the sudden changes. These centre on "stand-down time" when firefighters on night shifts remain on standby but do not undertake fire prevention work or training.

But chair of the employers Christina Jebb said: "It's important that the fire and rescue service responds flexibly to the needs of the 24-hour society." And she added: "The authorities cannot condone the retention of this as a national condition and believe that reasonable working patterns should be determined locally in full consultation with the workforce."

Gilchrist accused the employers of "complete incompetence" in not concluding the agreement which would trigger a 3.5% pay rise backdated to last November. He said: "We've honoured our part of the bargain - it's high time employers did the same."

The recalled conference will also debate whether the union should disaffiliate from the Labour Party.