FIREFIGHTERS from Crewe and Nantwich moved a step closer to strike action after representatives agreed to support a national protest.
Fire Brigade Union (FBU) representatives from each of the 24 fire stations in Cheshire met on Tuesday, and agreed to support any national industrial action.
The union is campaigning for salaries to be increased from £21,500 to £30,000 a year for qualified firefighters, and it is the first time in 25 years they have discussed the issue of pay.
Preliminary talks over the proposed 40 per cent pay rise have so far made little progress.
Cheshire's union secretary, Dave Williams, said: "It was a unanimous decision to support the rest of our colleagues in the UK in taking industrial action should our pay demands not be met.
"Unfortunately strike action looks likely now because we are nowhere near to reaching an agreement - we've not been offered anything as yet, but hopefully on September 2 when we meet the National Joint Council in London, they will make us an offer."
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