A nationwide walk-out by firefighters has moved a step closer after their conference approved a ballot on strike action.

Around 55,000 firefighters across the UK will vote over the next few weeks on whether to stage the first national strike in the fire service for 25 years.

Their employers in local governments urged them to reject the proposal by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) but the industrial action seems increasingly likely.

We think we're worth the money now

Mark Turner Firefighter

Jeremy Beecham, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "It defies comprehension that a union representing a crucial emergency service and a profession with such a tradition of courage and skill thinks it can reasonably hold the country to ransom over such an unreasonable wage demand."

The crews are calling for a 40% pay rise - to give fully qualified firefighters a �30,000 annual wage.

Their employers have made an interim offer of 4%, which is tied to changes in working conditions.

The FBU has already rejected that offer after negotiations broke down last week.

Applause

At a specially convened conference in Manchester on Thursday, the result of the vote was greeted with prolonged applause and cheers.

Firefighters rose to their feet cheering and applauding as the chairman told them that if they stayed united they would win.

If a strike goes ahead Green Goddess engines will take over

The reaction suggested that they would vote overwhelmingly to strike at the end or October or early November.

FBU leader Andy Gilchrist told the conference the dispute was caused by the "reckless and unhelpful intervention by the government" in the pay negotiations.

Union support

Rejecting the 40% pay claim last week, Tony Blair said: "I don't think there's anybody really who could believe that we could give a 40% pay claim without terrible damage to the rest of the economy."

BBC News Online has learned that the country's biggest union, Unison, is considering industrial action in support of fire service workers if there are issues of safety - for example on underground trains.

Before addressing the conference, Mr Gilchrist said: "This is not about trade union militancy, it is about professional firefighters working 42 hours a week, risking their lives for the public and having to claim working families tax credits to make ends meet."

Mr Gilchrist said firefighters did not want to strike.

We are demanding that our employers pay us the correct rate for the job we do

Andy Gilchrist

Mark Turner, station officer at Salford fire station, agreed, but he said his colleagues did not want a long-winded independent review of working conditions as part of the pay negotiations.

"There are people in this station who are on Income Support because they can't afford to keep their families clothed and fed," he said.

"We think we're worth the money now."

In a further development the RMT rail union will also ballot its members on London Underground and two other rapid transit systems on strike action over safety, if there is no proper fire cover in the event of a firefighters' strike.

Walk-outs by rail workers are likely to be co-ordinated with the stoppages of firefighters.

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