UNION members of Greater Manchester Fire Service have voted for a strike ballot in their fight to safeguard jobs.

The decision was taken following fears that budget cuts would lead to job losses.

Greater Manchester Fire and Civil Defence Authority is involved in identifying £3.3 million worth of savings to bridge the funding gap for the brigade's 1997-98 budget.

The £3.3 million is the difference between what the authority says it needs and what the Government says it can spend during the next financial year. Although County Fire Officer George Almond has pledged that front-line staff will be protected, officials of the Fire Brigades Union in Greater Manchester claim jobs will be lost.

They say 36 front-line firemen will lose their jobs - seven by compulsory redundancy.

They also claim two stations will lose vital firefighting equipment and there will be a freeze on five fire safety officer posts.

The union is angry at what it sees as attacks on national conditions of service, local agreements and the firefighter pension scheme.

Officials consulted members on the question of industrial action and the result was a massive vote in favour of a ballot.

Yesterday senior union officials were attending a meeting of the authority at which it was expected the latest budget proposals would be accepted. The union represents more than 2,000 firefighters and control staff in Greater Manchester.

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