The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in Scotland has accused local authority employers of failing to move on their previous 4% pay offer and said ministers were intent on confrontation.

However, after a day of talks in London, the employers said they were prepared to offer an incremental rise of 16% tied to modernisation by 2003.

An eight-day strike, the second walkout by firefighters in their demand for a 40% pay increase, looks set to go ahead from 0900 GMT on Friday, though the FBU and employers remain in talks.

I think it's a case of wanting to break the union, sending a message to other public sector workers that there will be no increase in pay from this government

John MacDonald FBU Scotland

John McDonald, of the FBU in Scotland, said he believed the UK Government was intent on breaking the union's resistance.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, Mr McDonald said firefighters could not believe the offer they had received.

He said: "Their (the government) attitude now is that it's 4% and not a penny more.

"Any increase in the future would need to be paid for by a cut in the number of firefighters on duty.

"Their attitude is disgraceful and they seem determined to provoke a strike and unfortunately a strike will go ahead."

'Break the union'

He said the FBU remained in discussions but were pessimistic about the chances of a breakthrough.

Mr McDonald said: "They made it quite clear in the media that there may have been the basis for a negotiated settlement, but when we actually get to the talks we find there is nothing there.

"I think it's a case of wanting to break the union, sending a message to other public sector workers that there will be no increase in pay from this government."

Mr McDonald said that despite the government's attempts, the general public realised "how dishonest" they had been.

"The negotiating position is even worse than it has been and that has been down to the employers. We have been continuing to talk and they have been disingenuous," he said.

Martin O'Neill: "Quite clear"

But Martin O'Neill, chairman of the Commons Industry Committee, said he could see no room for compromise.

He said: "I think my colleagues in the Labour side are quite clear.

"We don't want to see the economic success of this government put in jeopardy if a number of pay rises were to come through of an order that couldn't be supported within the public expenditure guidelines that we have had laid down.

"If the firefighters were to get a pay rise of the order they are asking for, even if it were to be 16% and this wasn't funded from improvements in working practices, then other groups would start to complain.

"And in fact, other groups have already changed their working practices.

"Say, for example, Scottish teachers and nurses, in a number of areas, are groups within the public sector who have in fact changed the way they operate and have been paid reasonably generously.

"If they can do it, why can't the fire brigade?"