FIREFIGHTERS in Whitefield are to be balloted on fresh strike action.

The move follows the suspension of colleagues in Salford, Broughton and Ashton on Tuesday night (May 18) after they refused to use new anti-terrorism decontamination equipment in a dispute over pay.

Crews based at Whitefield were continuing to work as normal yesterday (Thurs May 20) while national talks were being held to resolve the dispute.

No solution will mean that Greater Manchester Fire Service's 2,000 firefighters, including those at Bury and Ramsbottom stations, will go ahead with a ballot which could prompt a new national strike.

Nine firefighters from Broughton station, which also provides cover in Prestwich, Whitefield and Radcliffe, were ordered home hours after 19 firefighters in Salford were suspended without pay when they rejected management demands to man the mobile anit-terrorism vehicle.

And yesterday seven firefighters from Broughton and the fire crews at Salford were sent home again.

Firefighters say they are still owed a 3.5 per cent wage increase promised in November and believe the remainder of their 16 per cent pay deal would not be forthcoming in July.

The outstanding increase has been withheld by employers across the country until modernisation of the fire service is complete.

However, a senior firefighter from Whitefield has urged national employers to pay the overdue increase to prevent a repeat of last year's national strike.

Station Officer Bill Gibbon, who is based at Whitefield, said: "We have always agreed with modernisation of the fire service. In Greater Manchester, we have trained to use the anti-terrorism equipment and defibrillators and have led the way in community fire safety work for many years.

"We have met our commitments and it is up to the employers to recognise our efforts and pay up what is owed."

Mr Gibbon also criticised the role of Greater Manchester's County Fire Officer, Barry Dixon, as the dispute gathered pace.

He said: "Last week, some of our firefighters went to Glasgow to help find survivors of the plastics factory explosion under terrorism conditions.

"Mr Dixon was full of praise for those men last week but now he has changed his tune. He should be urging the employers to make the 3.5 per cent payment, not criticising or threatening his frontline crews."

Mr Dixon, who lives in Whitefield, said: "I cannot support firefighters who are telling me that they will determine what incidents they respond to."