Firefighters in Scotland have been urged to vote in favour of strike action which could see fire stations across the UK temporarily closed.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) last month voted overwhelmingly to reject a five per cent offer and are now being balloted for industrial action.
Firefighter pay is negotiated at a UK-wide level but the Scottish Government today called for "all sides to reach a sustainable and fair settlement".
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) also confirmed it was working on a contingency plan if firefighters do vote in favour of strikes in the New Year.
Previous fire strikes have seen the Army called in to respond to emergencies.
The Record revealed last week how talks have been held with the MoD to discuss Military Aid to Civil Authorities stepping in, if a strike takes place.
John McKenzie, FBU Scottish secretary, said: "Firefighters are key workers who keep our communities safe but since 2010 our members have seen a £4000 real terms cut to their incomes.
"Fire and rescue service members will not accept any further cuts to our pay. There is still time for our employers to come back with a sensible, increased offer, the ball is in their court.
"In the meantime, the FBU is urging all our members to vote yes for strike action."
A Scottish Government spokesman said ministers were working with the SFRS "to consider the appropriate response to any strike action as part of its business continuity arrangements".
They added: "The Scottish Government is not part of negotiations on firefighter pay, this is rightly a matter for SFRS as the employer.
"Firefighter pay is negotiated through UK wide collective bargaining. We encourage all sides to reach a sustainable and fair settlement on firefighter pay."
Stuart Stevens, interim Deputy Chief Officer of SFRS, said: "As a national emergency service we have a legal and moral responsibility to protect the people of Scotland.
"The safety of our firefighters and communities is our number one priority and we continue to plan accordingly to manage the impact of any industrial action.
"We are currently developing a series of contingency arrangements to mitigate the impact of any action and ensure we provide an emergency response.
"This is an unfolding situation which we are closely monitoring and we will work to keep the public and businesses updated with further details and key safety advice."
The FBU ballot on strike action closes on January 30 with a result expected the following day.
Matt Wrack, the union's general secretary, has previously warned that some firefighters were so badly paid they were now using foodbanks.
He said: "Our members worked through the pandemic to help protect their communities, taking on extra duties to do so. A further real-terms pay cuts is an absolutely disgusting way to thank them.
"While strike action is always a last resort, our members simply can’t go on like this."
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