A NATIONAL firefighter strike could be sparked over Hampshire job fears, the Daily Echo can reveal.

A controversial review of services is being carried out which could lead to redundancies, staff forced to work longer hours and even lives being put at risk, union bosses claim.

Fire chiefs dispute the allegations but have frozen promotions and recruitment.

Fire Brigade Union chairman Eddie Burrows said: “Redundancy has been discussed by senior management.

“If there is a single compulsory redundancy we will be looking for a national ballot on industrial action.

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“We are deeply concerned about the threat to jobs and the fact staff are essentially being blackmailed into working long and stressful hours.

“We are worried that this is stripping away services and people need to realise that once the firefighters are gone they won’t be coming back.”

He believes Hampshire Fire Authority is cutting costs because it expects funding cuts from central Government.

More than 40 firefighters will be lost through retirement over the next two years and they may not be replaced, he added.

The 2010/11 budget for Hampshire Fire Authority is £68,160,000 – a below inflation 2.3 per cent total rise which includes a council tax increase of 1.8 per cent.

However, fire bosses say they are concerned whichever party wins this year’s General Election will slash public services spending and demand massive efficiency savings the following year.

Currently 80 per cent of the budget is spent on salaries and staff costs.

Hampshire Fire Authority chairman Councillor Royston Smith said: “There are no plans to make people redundant but we can’t rule it out, we couldn’t rule it out even if there was not a review.

“Workers have the right to be concerned – anyone does – but until the review has been carried out there is nothing to be concerned about.

“Everybody knows the money we are going to get from the Government is going to be cut and so we have to look for efficiencies wherever we can and ensure we also get maximum value for money.

“Things aren’t going to get any easier they are going to get more challenging.

“However, we would never let staffing levels drop to a level where lives were put at risk. In no circumstances would we ever allow that to happen.”

The review has just started and will end in October.