A planned strike by 52,000 Fire Brigades Union (FBU) members, due to be carried out next month was averted yesterday after agreement was reached by both parties.
The strike had been called in protest of working over public holidays.
The Trades Union Congress saved the day by constructing a new form of wording to cover the issue of bank holiday working.
The FBU agreed to a 3.5% pay increase to be backdated to last November.
Official acceptance by fire service bosses on service modernisation will mean a further pay increase of 4.2%