Strikers playing with fire

The fire brigade strikes in conjunction with Guy Fawkes Night in November last year, involved over 5,500 fire-fighters, and caused a rift between the Fire Brigade Union (FBU) and the government.

Maria Jackson reported on the heated debate in November.

Close to a solution?


Now, a proposal to end the dispute will be discussed this Friday, according to the BBC.

FBU’s regional committee will then decide if they will switch to 10.5-hour day shifts and 13.5-hour night shifts, instead of the current nine-hour days and 15-hour nights.

FBU members are supporting the plan, and Brian Coleman, the chair of the London Fire Authority, said he was "delighted", and that he was glad the union "saw sense" about a "silly dispute which dragged on for six years".