FIREMEN and women across the country today walked out at 9am after hopes of resolving the bitter pay dispute collapsed.
Firefighters are on strike for 48 hours and again on Saturday and Sunday because of deadlock over their 40 per cent pay claim.
Talks in London between the Fire Brigades' Union and employers were called off last night after union leaders decided to press ahead with strikes.
Employers said two days of talks pencilled in for today and Wednesday at the conciliation service would not go ahead.
Updated: 11:41 Tuesday, January 28, 2003
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