Northern Ireland firefighters and control room staff are among tens of thousands across the UK set to be balloted on whether to strike over pay.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said 32,500 of its members will vote in the next few weeks on whether or not to launch a campaign of industrial action.
The union said the move follows a two per cent pay offer made in June, which has not been increased despite the soaring rate of inflation.
Read more: Housing Executive workers begin four week strike over pay
The FBU said the pay offer represents a “significant real-terms pay cut”, adding that a ballot will be held in five weeks’ time.
Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “Taking strike action is always a last resort. But our employers are increasingly leaving us with no choice. And there is huge anger among firefighters at falling pay.
“Firefighters must be paid fairly: there is absolutely no question when it comes to this. It is the responsibility of fire service employers to provide decent pay offers and that has not happened.
“The ball is now in the fire service employers’ court. It is not too late for them to make a much better pay offer for consideration by our members.”
Firefighters last went on strike over pensions almost a decade ago and there was a lengthy strike over pay almost 20 years ago.
The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) has been approached for comment.
The news comes just a day after around 300 maintenance workers at the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) began strike action in a dispute over pay.
NIHE said the strike could affect maintenance services in Craigavon, Coleraine and North and West Belfast.
The Unite trade union said the dispute would remain in place for four weeks.
Elsewhere industrial action that has been affecting bin collections in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area continues.
The strike began on August 15 and it involves more than 1,000 council workers who are protesting over their pay and conditions.
It is being staged by members of the GMB, Unite and Nipsa trade unions. The action was initially due to last for four weeks but last week council said it will now continue past September 11.
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