Firefighters and employers say talks aimed at averting a national fire service strike have been "constructive", but the threat of industrial action remains.

The Fire Brigade Union's general secretary Andy Gilchrist emerged from talks on Thursday saying the union remained fully committed to its pay demands.

He said the national executive council of the FBU will meet on Monday to consider the issues raised so far, adding: "The issues, in our view, are very evenly balanced and next week's strike remains on."

FBU leader Andy Gilchrist: The strike remains on

Employers said discussions had been "fruitful" and said they would be ready to meet with the union if they decided to continue with further talks.

Negotiations between the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and employers in London began on Thursday with a minute's silence in memory of a firefighter who died overnight in the line of duty.

Union leaders have already warned that next week's strikes over pay will go ahead if no agreement is reached.

The union wants a pay rise of 40%, or for an experienced firefighter's pay to be increased to �30,000.

But local authority employers have only offered 4%, saying an improved deal would have to be paid for by the government.

A crowd of firefighters again gathered outside the talks for the second day, many remembering fire fighter Bob Miller who died in a fire in Leicester early on Thursday.

The first 48-hour national fire strikes had been due to take place from Tuesday until Thursday this week, and from Saturday until Monday.

But the FBU suspended the first two 48-hour strikes following talks with Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott last week.

Strike dates

6-14 November 22-30 November 4-12 December 16-24 December All start and end at 0900 GMT

Mr Prescott has welcomed the continuing negotiations.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday, he said: "Firefighters do a tremendous job and have got to get a fair rate of pay."

He said a new pay formula "presumably" meant more money for firefighters.

But he said any pay rise had to be accompanied by modernisation and a 40% rise was just too high.

Ahead of the meeting, employers' chairman Ted George said he hoped the negotiations would be as positive as they had been on Wednesday.

He predicted further negotiations would take place next week.

Contingency plans

An independent review on firefighters' pay and conditions is due to report in December, but the FBU is boycotting the inquiry.

Local authority spokesman John Ransford said pay and modernisation had to go together.

In the event of strikes, the Army - backed by the Royal Navy and RAF - will provide cover with 827 Green Goddess fire engines and a reported 12,500 troops.

They will be joined by 4,000 part-time firefighters with the Retained Firefighters Union (RFU).

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