Industrial action by fire crews could hit Southend again after a breakdown in the deal that ended the last conflict.
The Fire Brigades Union discussed at its annual conference yesterday whether to hold a ballot which could lead to walkouts within a month.
The union has accused local authority employers of putting up barriers to the deal agreed a year ago to end a series of pay strikes.
The deadlock is holding up payment of a 3.5 per cent increase, backdated to last November. The union has now voiced concerns over the next stage of the deal, due to deliver a 4.2 per cent rise next month.
An Essex spokesman for the union said: "We presume there is strong support among our members for industrial action in Southend.
"We'd expect all our members to support calls for strikes because it's their representatives who are negotiating on their behalf."
Published Thursday June 17, 2004
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