Last week we tabled a note with employers asking for �30,000 and we have been told they will contact us before our annual conference

Jock Munro SFBU

The Scottish Fire Brigades Union (SFBU), said its members' pay had not increased in line with other public sector services.

The wage for a newly qualified firefighter is �21,500 a year and Wednesday's meeting heard calls for that to be increased to �30,000.

Officials from the country's eight brigades met in Glasgow to discuss the next steps in their campaign.

Jock Munro, who is running the campaign in Scotland, said representatives discussed plans to campaign for a replacement for the 24-year-old formula which governs pay levels.

Meetings will now be held across Scotland to update firefighters on the progress of the campaign.

"Last week we tabled a note with employers asking for �30,000 and we have been told they will contact us before our annual conference and so we will take our lead from their response," he said.

Negotiating table

SFBU leaders are confident of their case for more money and hope negotiations will avoid any strike action.

However, Mr Munro added that the union would not rule out that possibility.

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla), the local government body responsible for firefighters pay, said it is happy to get around the negotiating table with the SFBU.

Any talk of industrial action is wholly premature, it said.