ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Cleaners and other back office staff are being trained to provide a "basic level of cover" in the event of a firefighters' strike.

And they may be called upon to respond to 999 emergency calls.

National Fire Chiefs Council chairman Mark Hardingham claims that cleaners, office staff and "anyone else who is prepared to step forward" is currently being trained. The line-up also includes people working in human resources, finance, building and safety work. However, he added that not everyone will pass the two-week module.

"These members of the service might not be firefighters but they can be trained up to provide a basic level of cover," he said. "The fire service would still carry the liability, so you can't just take anyone. They need a basic level of fitness and they need to pass a health assessment."

He added that fire services were also recruiting temporary staff from private companies to work on strike days.

More than 80 per cent of Fire Brigades Union members who voted backed strike action across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland during a recent ballot.

FBU members claim they have experienced a 12 per cent drop in real terms earnings since 2010, while around one in five firefighter jobs have been cut during the same period.

The union is holding out hopes for a revised pay offer after rejecting a five per cent increase in November.

Meanwhile, there are reports that ministers are also preparing to deploy the army and private contractors to help provide cover during the forecast strikes.