Shropshire firefighters begin first 24-hour strike
Firefighters were today starting a 24-hour strike today in their long-running dispute with the Government over pensions, with the walkout coinciding with the start of the World Cup.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union in England and Wales stopped work from 9am in the first 24-hour stoppage of their campaign.
The strike was affecting full-time stations in Telford and Shrewsbury, although retained firefighters were expected to continue as normal.
Another strike will also be held on June 21 as the row over changes to pensions and retirement age remains deadlocked.
Brigades will launch contingency plans to deal with the strike and have urged people to take extra care around the home, especially if they are watching the World Cup on TV tonight.
John Redmond, chief fire officer for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, urged people to continue to call 999 in the event of a fire.
He said: "Our priority is to respond to calls where a life may be at risk, or someone needs to be rescued.
"I must emphasise that you should still call 999 in an emergency so that an experienced control room operator can deal with the situation."
