24 January 2003
Employers and the Fire Brigades Union have returned to the conciliation service Acas for what both sides are hoping will be 'meaningful discussions' on the long-running pay dispute.
The FBU said it was returning to the talks after employers agreed to drop their 'preconditions' – thought to include some recommendations from the Bain report.
'The FBU remains committed to a negotiated settlement on pay,' said Andy Gilchrist, FBU general secretary. 'This will be the first time since May last year that meaningful discussions will be able to take place.'
Employers, however, said that both sides would return with their separate agendas and Bain was still very much a part of theirs. A spokesman said some changes had been made to their proposals following a request from the FBU, but they would be sticking to their offer of a 4% pay rise with any further increases funded by modernisation. 'There have been alterations but essentially both sides remain in their separate positions,' he said.
The FBU is demanding a 40% increase to take the average firefighter's pay to £30,000 a year.
Employers said they were hopeful that some progress could now be made following a round of 'talks about talks'. 'This is not going to be a quick fix but we are hoping if talks progress, next week's strikes will be called off,' the spokesman said.
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