Scots firefighters have voted decisively for strike action after a bitter pay dispute.
It will be the first UK-wide walk out by firefighters on wages in two decades and may lead to the army being drafted in.
Matt Wrack, General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: "Firefighters across the UK have spoken. The Fire Brigades Union has a decisive mandate for strike action.
"This is an overwhelming vote for strike action against an offer which would mean further significant cuts to real terms wages for firefighters and control room staff. They have already lost at least 12% of the value of their pay since 2010.
"This is an absolute last resort for our members. The responsibility for any disruption to services lies squarely with fire service employers and government ministers."
Three separate ballots were held throughout the UK after members of the FBU rejected the 5 per cent offer by the UK Government.
After voting closed it was revealed a Yes vote in England, Scotland and Wales of 88 per cent.
No date has been set for a strike and the FBU has given the UK Government ten days to come forward with a "decent offer".
Although the fire service is devolved, pay is negotiated through collective bargaining at a UK level.
Wrack said: "Firefighters were among Britain's Covid heroes who kept frontline services going during the pandemic. The Prime Minister has badly misjudged the public mood by imposing pay cuts on key workers.
"Our members risk their health and safety, and sometimes their lives, round the clock to keep people safe and serve their communities. However, with inflation and energy bills rocketing, they are now increasingly struggling to pay the bills or to afford the basics.
"The government and the employers have the power to stop strikes from happening by making a credible offer that can resolve this dispute. The ball is in their court."
Firefighters are the latest group of workers to down tools over a pay dispute.
Teachers are currently on strike north of the border, while nurses and other health staff have put industrial action on hold.
It comes after the Record revealed shock figures showing the number of firefighters in Scotland plummeting to a new low.
The all-staff total at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has been cut to just 7,715 - a fall of nearly 15 per cent in a decade.
Labour's Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “Firefighters run towards danger when the rest of us run away. They put their lives and their health at risk to rescue others and they need fair pay and conditions.
“No one, including firefighters themselves, wants a strike. It is this Conservative government’s reckless behaviour that has crashed the economy, and their failure to get a grip on inflation means working people are struggling more and more. This is their mess to fix.
“It’s up to the Home Secretary to get around the table and talk. She should be doing everything she possibly can to negotiate a deal and prevent a strike.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has comprehensive contingency plans for industrial action based on making the best use of the resources available to keep communities safe.
“In addition, we are working with SFRS to consider appropriate military assistance as part of its business continuity arrangements in the event that negotiations fail.”
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