FIREFIGHTERS across Barnsley will start a four day strike on Friday in a long running dispute about pensions.
The strike will start at 6pm Friday until 6pm on Tuesday.
The Fire Brigades Union said it follows a refusal by the government to bring a new offer to the table over pensions, despite two months of talks.
It said under government proposals firefighters will have to work until they are 60 instead of 55, pay more into their pensions and ultimately get less in retirement.
James Courtney, chief fire officer at South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said the 999 response service would be severely depleted but contingency plans had been put in place.
"In a genuine emergency, we will get there, but it will take us longer than normal.
"This is the longest period of strike action to have been called so far, so we want to remind people to take extra care to stay safe and prevent fires."
** The full story appears in the Barnsley Chronicle, dated October 31. **
