Firefighters' leaders say their next strike is still on the cards despite a day of talks with employers.

Fire Brigades Union leader Andy Gilchrist said his members were still being expected to agree unreservedly to changes to the service that were "totally wrong, dangerous and unjustified".

As far as we are concerned pay and modernisation are inextricably linked Charles Nolda, employers representative

There was no agreement during five hours of talks at the conciliation service Acas on Monday, the first face-to-face meeting between the opposing sides this year.

The employers offered the prospect of a three-year pay settlement but stood resolute any deal must be linked to modernisation.

Contentious report

Mr Gilchrist said the next strike, a 24-hour stoppage next Tuesday, was "most certainly" still on unless employers reconsidered their commitment to Sir George Bain's report into the future of the fire service.

PLANNED STRIKES

21 January: 24 hours 28 January: 48 hours 1 February: 48 hours

The FBU's executive committee meets on Thursday before the union considers more strike dates on Friday. For the moment, two 48-hour walkouts are also planned for the end of January and start of February.

Charles Nolda, an employers' organisation official, said there was a "reasonable possibility" there would be further talks at Acas next week and in turn the union may decide to suspend strikes.

But he said: "As far as we are concerned pay and modernisation are inextricably linked.

"We can't separate them, we won't separate them."

While he would not discuss figures, he said a three year deal was a possibility.

Negotiations continue

Monday had been pencilled in for further talks, he said.

Mr Gilchrist did not get the confirmation he was looking for that an agreement almost reached with employers before Christmas for a 16% pay deal by next November was still on the table.

Ahead of the meeting, he had said if the offer was not available the talks would be a "waste of time".

But as the talks broke up, Mr Gilchrist said the employers had agreed to reconsider the "most objectionable" parts of its position.

The sticking point remains each side's position on the Bain report.

Strikes 'dangerous'

FBU announced late on Monday it was prepared to meet local authority employers.

Ahead of the talks, Prime Minister Tony Blair attacked plans for strike action by firefighters as "wrong and dangerous".

At a press conference on Monday, he said the Bain reforms were the "only justifiable basis upon which to settle the dispute".

The Local Government Association has previously said a 16% rise may be possible over three years but Fire service minister Nick Raynsford hinted there could be a pay rise of up to 19% over three years, reliant on modernisation savings.