Firefighters in Merseyside will be balloted for strike action in a week’s time unless the fire authority meets the union’s demands.
The Merseyside Fire Brigade Union (FBU) is calling for a sacked union official to be reinstated and for a cuts package – including the loss of 68 jobs – to be withdrawn.
The cuts are aimed at saving £5m following a reduction in government funding for the fire service.
Bill Evans, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service’s industrial relations negotiator, told the BBC the union’s decision was “particularly disappointing”.
He said: “While I’m committed to conciliation talks, I think this latest move by the FBU demonstrates that they, perhaps, are not.”
Les Skarratts, Merseyside FBU brigade secretary, said: “These are real cuts to the number of front-line firefighters in Merseyside which will impact on how we respond to 999 emergencies. It will mean fewer firefighters spread more thinly taking longer to get to incidents.
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“The local fire crews have had enough, but all we are doing is responding to the aggressive actions of the fire authority, which includes sacking [union official] Kevin Hughes.”
