DETERMINED firefighters have vowed to step up strike action following another breakdown in talks with the Combined Fire Authority.
Resolute Harlow fire crews, who are now approaching their 23rd strike, said they would continue to fight the £1.2 million budget cut until the CFA made a real effort to compromise these decisions.
The firefighters were speaking after their high hopes for a settlement were dashed at a meeting between the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the CFA on Thursday.
FBU representatives had hoped the talks would "get down to the nitty gritty" to reach a "satisfactory conclusion".
But an abrupt 20 minute meeting left firefighters feeling frustrated, but determined to continue strike action.
Station Officer Peter Little, from Harlow fire station, said: "We are very disappointed, and fed up with striking, but morale is good, and industrial action is being escalated.
"The CFA is trying to starve us back to work. There is a small gap for compromise, but we will carry on striking until the authority talks to us and puts some money on the table."
He said fire crews were annoyed the CFA had "totally ignored" public opinion, but said its refusal to give in to FBU demands, had fuelled firefighters' determination to continue strike action.
FBU Secretary Paul Adams said: "The fire authority has wasted our time and wasted yet another opportunity to try to resolve this dispute.
"It's quite clear the councillors neither understand nor care about the extreme dangers caused by their cuts, or the public opinion against them."
Angry Mr Adams said the public had a right to be "disgusted" by the CFA's "antics" and accused councillors of putting balance sheets before saving lives.
But CFA Chairman Tony Wright blamed the FBU for time wasting, and said talks were aborted because theunion did not appear to be looking for a settlement.
He said: "The FBU was not there to solve the problems they had previously identified. The union demanded the 16 firefighter jobs back. We said no and they left."
Concerned that strikes had already drained £1 million from CFA coffers, Cllr Wright said money available to bargain would dwindle even more if the FBU continued to take industrial action.
Essex firefighters have planned 24-hour strikes for today (Wednesday) and Saturday, and two-hour strikes on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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