Crucial talks at the Labour Court to avert a national strike by firefighters due to begin tomorrow, broke down after more than 12 hours at 3,00 o'clock this morning.
The Labour Court is no longer involved in the negotiations. Both sides are meeting today to plan emergency cover during the strike. Unions representing the firefighters, SIPTU and IMPACT, said their members had already given more than enough productivity to justify payment of a 9 per cent increase needed to maintain their parity with gardai.
Among the items conceded so far by the unions are the amalgamation of the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire brigades, involvement in offshore fire fighting, the use of defibrillators in ambulances, increased after-hours calls and pre-fire planning.
However, management has argued that much more is needed to justify increases which would cost Dublin Corporation over £6 million this year and carry ongoing costs of £2.1 million. Among the items being sought by management are new rosters, greater use of civilian staff, reduction in the crewing of fire tenders and redeployment of tenders.