NORTH Yorkshire's fire service union today explained why a strike was "almost inevitable".

In a message to Evening Press readers John Mitchell, secretary of the region's Fire Brigades' Union branch, said the current pay formula had become outdated and still treated firefighters as manual workers. He claimed many firefighters could not afford to live in the areas where they work.

He said: "Our annual conference in May marked a sea change in firefighters' estimation of their worth in society. For years our pay kept ahead of inflation, linked as it was to male manual industrial workers earnings level.

"The job has changed. Firefighters have been given a much broader remit and been asked to master new techniques and new technologies. An ever increasing proportion of call outs now relate to non-fire incidents - road and rail accidents, chemical spillages, traumas caused by extreme weather conditions and so on.

"And quite rightly the service has been reoriented to fire prevention and community fire safety, all requiring new skills and changed working practices for the front line fighter."

"Our pay needs to reflect the wide range of skills and qualities we need today."

"The Government has had a first-class fire service on the cheap for years as a result of firefighters being paid the wrong rate for the job.

"Firefighters are neither greedy nor are they the enemy - they are the people who turn up to help the public when they are in danger or need help.

"We have been patient for more than 25 years about the declining rates of pay and lack of recognition for our professionalism. We wanted to agree the correct level of pay through negotiation, but now appear to have no choice other than to take national strike action to secure fair and professional pay levels.

"The real question the public ought to be asking is: Why are firefighters being forced into a position where they see no alternative to strike action?"

Mr Mitchell said they were aware that Army personnel were undergoing intense 12-week firefighter training courses in readiness for the strike.

"This will only provide a skeleton cover," he said.

"The Green Goddesses will obviously not be as quick or effective as our modern fire engines. We've just got to hope a realistic offer comes in - a strike is still avoidable."

Updated: 11:51 Tuesday, September 24, 2002