A strike by thousands of firefighters across the UK could be averted after the government put forward new pension reform proposals at the 11th-hour.
The proposal, protecting firefighters’ existing retirement age, will be put to 300 union delegates who were due to vote on a recommendation to strike.
Firefighters can currently retire at 50 but ministers had wanted to raise the pension age to 60 for new starters.
Under the new plans, those with 30 years’ service could retire at 50.
Fire Brigade Union (FBU) leaders are now expected to call off industrial action.