Deal reached in long-running South Yorkshire fire row

Firefighters went on strike several times last year

Firefighters in South Yorkshire have voted to accept a deal to end a long-running dispute over shift changes.

A series of strikes was held last year after 744 firefighters were told they would lose their jobs if they did not accept 12-hour day and night shifts.

The new agreement means crews will work 11-hour day shifts and 13-hour night shifts instead of the current nine-hour days and 15-hour nights.

The deal was reached after 14 hours of negotiations on Thursday.

Firefighters went on strike several times last year over the dispute.

Ian Murray, from the FBU, said: "Obviously it's been a very long journey."

'Funding cuts'

He added: "It was regretful that it ever had to come to us taking any form of industrial action but the position we've had over the last year-and-a-half is that the fire authority's position was 12-hour shifts or nothing.

"Our members have shown overwhelmingly that they didn't want 12-hour shifts and they've now accepted this compromise."

Mark Smitherhman, chief fire officer for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "I am pleased that this dispute is now over.

"These changes have only ever been about improving safety of our firefighters and the public, and now we can finally get on with the vital task of making those safety improvements."

Mr Smitherhman warned the service faced "significant funding cuts" in the future.

"It is obvious that we will have to make more changes to improve our efficiency over the coming years.

"We need our staff to be fully involved in helping us to shape those future changes."