This paper
aims to critically analyse the actions of the government in response to the Fire Brigades Union's decision to take
industrial action in 2002-2003 and considers the
wider implications and consequences for future government-
trade union relations and
conflict resolution. It looks at how the
dispute began as a pay claim by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in April 2002 and was complicated by the government's modernisation policy in the public
sector and aims to uncover the impact of the conflict, at an organisational level and assess the implications in the wider industrial relations environment - for other public sector workers and trade unions. Outline Abstract Chapter 1 - Introduction Chapter 2 - Literature Review The Contemporary Context of the 2002-2003 Fire Dispute Chapter 3 - Methodology Research Design and Methodology Chapter 4 - Discussion and Findings Conclusion