Firefighters in London have begun their ballot for action short of a strike.
The FBU union members are fighting a raft of attacks, with all sorts of policies being imposed without negotiation.
They include even more stringent sickness rules, with financial penalties for sick firefighters, and a failure to negotiate over shift changes.
FBU regional secretary Joe MacVeigh said hated boss Brian Coleman and his cronies “provoke conflict by embarking on frequent smash-and-grab raids on our conditions”.
The union was holding mass meetings across London to launch the ballot.
The ballot closes on 18 November.