FIREFIGHTERS in Bury are bracing themselves for strike action after claims that the Government has sabotaged a deal with bosses.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union have pressed ahead with a ballot on industrial action after national talks with employers stalled.

The discussions earlier this month failed after no agreement could be reached on stand-down activities, including drilling and fire prevention work, during bank holidays and weekends.

Fire officers in Bury claim the talks were sabotaged by fire services minister Nick Raynsford, to force a showdown and "break" the union.

They say that councillors drafted into the later stages of the talks with the Local Government Association (LGA) were wrongly advised to reject the wording on a proposed agreement.

Whitefield sub officer Bill Biles said: "No-one wants to go on strike, which is something that will hit our pockets and leave the area without cover.

"There is a certain sort of person who joins the fire service and it's not the sort of person that wants to stand around doing nothing.

"If we get a 'yes' ballot that doesn't automatically mean that we'll be walking out of the doors.

"The Government is hell bent on getting us to walk out and it is well known that they want to break the union.

"That is their agenda and it is something that saddens us."

An agreement made last year ran into difficulties when firefighters did not receive a full seven per cent salary increase as part of a 16 per cent pay rise over three years.

Although the wage increase was paid for in council tax rises, bosses said that brigades had failed to meet modernisation requirements that were a part of the original settlement.

Ballot papers were sent to union members last week, with a result expected by the end of the month.

Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, chairman of the LGA, accused the union of creating a "smokescreen" and said that real disputes did exist.

He said: "There is no truth in the allegations that the fire minister interfered prior to talks.

"The real issue is about the pay and conditions firefighters can expect and what service the public will get in return.

"The sticking point is bank holiday working. Let us hear publicly the FBUs position on that, not a smokescreen of wild allegations or personal attacks."