Members of Merseyside Fire Brigades Union are being balloted for action short of staging a full strike.
As a result of a long-standing disagreement over terms and conditions and reduction in minimum night staff in fire control, members across the region are casting their vote as to whether they favour taking industrial action. The new ballot and potential action are separate from existing disputes over pay nationally.
Union members began making their views known on Tuesday and will be able to do so until Friday November 11 as to whether to stop undertaking any pre-arranged overtime, beginning no earlier than Thursday December 1 and potentially lasting for six months. Members have elected to hold the ballot in relation to the introduction of new duty shift systems, reduction of night staff in the control room to five, apprentices being required to attend the workplace outside of core hours to undertake training sessions, assessments, charity days and exams, and a non-agreed expansion of the firefighter role in contracts for all new entrants.
