Firefighters' dispute flares up again

The dispute over pay for firefighters, which led to 15 days of strike action between November 2002 and February 2003, has restarted.

The original dispute was settled by an agreement in June 2003, which involved staged implementation with a further pay rise of 3.5% being due on 7 November 2003. However, the employers have refused to honour this agreement, claiming that it includes "stand down" time - the time during a shift when firefighters are only required to respond to emergency calls.

The FBU firefighters' union is absolutely clear that stand down time does not form part of the agreement; it has now withdrawn from implementing the agreement, which means that any changes to working practices flowing from it are revoked.

Following the FBU's decision, 19 firefighters in Salford, Greater Manchester were suspended on 18 May for refusing to use new anti-terror equipment - the introduction of which formed part of the agreement. Their suspension prompted FBU members from Tayside to Cornwall to take unofficial strike action in support.