Threat to fire talks resolved

A last-minute threat to peace talks aimed at averting further strikes by firefighters was resolved after a meeting between union leaders and Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

The Fire Brigades' Union had warned of a sticking point which could have prevented negotiations from resuming.

But after the hour-long meeting in Whitehall between Mr Prescott and FBU leaders, the problem was resolved.

Andy Gilchrist, the FBU's general secretary, said negotiations would now resume with the employers tomorrow in a bid to agree a long-running pay claim.

The union had complained that employers had not confirmed in letter a written undertaking they had given that a fresh mandate for strikes would not be needed while peace talks were under way.

The union also claimed that some fire officers were holding briefings on how to implement recommendations in the Bain Review of the fire service, against the spirit of a deal agreed between the two sides last week.

Mr Gilchrist said that the Deputy Prime Minister had made it clear there would be no moving ahead on implementing the Bain recommendations without discussions being held.

The employers maintained that chief officers were merely holding briefing sessions to give information on the Bain recommendations.

Negotiations are expected to resume at the conciliatory service Acas on Tuesday.

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