FIREFIGHTERS across Swindon could be on strike by early next month.
Local union leaders of Britain's 52 brigades will meet in Southport on Monday. National leadership of the Fire Brigades' Union will recommend that they ballot members over strike action.
If it goes ahead, the strike will see Army fire crews and their decades-old Green Goddess engines take to the streets for the second time in as many years.
The dispute stems from a pay deal which was hammered out to end last year's round of industrial action.
The deal was to bring basic salaries up to £25,000.
Now, the FBU accuses its employers the Government via the local fire authorities of failing to honour the agreement.
Meanwhile, the firefighters are accused of failing to adopt working practices and modernisation measures, which were also part of the deal. The firefighters insist they are being driven to industrial action as a desperate last resort.
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