Search: Firefighters' strikes
Hundreds of firefighters are staging the first of two 24-hour strikes in a jobs dispute that has spread to several authorities across the country.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union in South Yorkshire will walk out at 6pm and again on Friday after claiming the local authority has threatened to dismiss 744 employees on January 1 if new employment contracts are not accepted.
Ian Murray, the union's regional secretary, said: "We will have talks at any time to help resolve this dispute. If the fire authority withdraws its threat of dismissals and enters genuine talks then the strikes can be called off."
He added: "As long as their threat of mass sackings remains, there will be strikes. The fire authority cannot threaten firefighters with the sack and not expect a strike to defend our jobs and contracts of employment."
The fire authority said 15 fire engines and more than 120 firefighting staff would maintain the county's emergency fire cover throughout the strike, claiming an increasing number of firefighters were volunteering to work.
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"South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue's contingency plans, finalised and presented to fire authority members, will ensure full and uninterrupted emergency response coverage across the whole of the county, using the service's own appliances and crews," the authority said in a statement.
Chief Fire Officer Mark Smitherman said: "We, together with members of the fire authority, have every confidence in the resilience of our contingency arrangements throughout the forthcoming strikes.
"We have been overwhelmed by the high number of dedicated staff who are committed to keeping the public safe throughout this period. Those staff deserve huge praise and thanks for putting public safety first."
The FBU is also involved in disputes over jobs and cuts in other areas including Merseyside, Essex, Warwickshire and Cornwall.
