Deadlock is broken over anti-terror squad dispute

THE seven-year row that led to Manchester fire brigade’s ‘antiterror’ squad being axed is still not resolved - but there may be an end in sight after a government inspector called for ‘urgent’ action to address the issue.

Senior management and the Fire Brigades Union have agreed the matter should go to arbitration.

According to a critical report, the public could be in danger because of the disbanding of a team of specially trained firefighters to deal with terror attacks in Greater Manchester.

The M.E.N. revealed in February last year that the 60-strong team had been broken up due to a six-year dispute between union and brigade bosses. It means that if there is an attack, the region would be partly reliant on back-up from a Merseyside-based team - more than 30 miles away.

Due to the dispute, equipment used by the team – such as specialist vehicles and ballistic protection gear – has been removed from three stations.

The Home Office was informed the region no longer has ‘MTFA (marauding terrorist firearms attack) capability’.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) bosses want all firefighters to have MTFA training and have offered around an extra £1,500 on salaries for it to be part of their contract, the M.E.N. understands.

But the union locally has resisted, saying it has to be negotiated as part of a national pay deal.

Now, in an internal memo, seen by the M.E.N., FBU Brigade Secretary, Gary Keary, says: “Assistant County Fire Officer (Dave) Keelan and myself have now drafted and signed a joint letter requesting the assistance of the National Joint Council Joint Secretaries.

“The union now looks forward to entering into this process in good faith, jointly with the employer, with a view to finding resolution to this long standing, bitter dispute.”

GMFRS Chief Fire Officer Jim Wallace said: “It is important to stress that this [dispute] applies to a very specific type of terrorist incident which is thankfully extremely rare. Should Greater Manchester face a terrorist attack in all other circumstances, our firefighters stand ready to play their full part in the emergency services response.”