LONDON (AP) -- Firefighters said Monday they were suspending their national strike and would begin talks on settling a pay dispute amid signs that their protest was having little impact.
Fire Brigades Union leader Andy Gilchrist said the union's executive council decided to suspend an eight-day strike scheduled to begin Wednesday and to seek independent arbitration with employers.
The government welcomed the move.
The unexpected decision came after the government said Monday that the rolling strike was causing ``minimal'' disruption to normal life in Britain because emergency coverage by soldiers with outdated equipment was providing adequate protection.
A government report on the impact of the strike praised the 19,000 personnel from the army, navy and air force for their work as temporary firefighters. The troops are using fire engines that are up to 50 years old and dubbed Green Goddesses because of their military coloring.
``Emergency cover worked well. The emergency response exceeded the original remit set for it, which was to concentrate on the protection of life,'' said the government report.
It said there were 12 deaths in fire-related incidents during the strike, an average number over a week.
The country's 55,000 firefighters completed an eight-day strike Saturday to back demands for a 40 percent pay increase. The firefighters were to start another eight-day strike from Wednesday.
The government has rejected the pay claim, saying it would open the way to huge increases for all government workers and wreck the country's finances. The strike has become increasingly bitter, with Prime Minister Tony Blair and the strike leaders accusing each other of playing politics with public safety.
The government said Monday's report showed the need for modernization in the fire service because a much smaller military force was providing adequate coverage. The firefighters refuse to adopt modern work practices, such as fewer night shifts and carrying more first aid equipment to victims.
Fire Service Minister Nick Raynsford said the public had responded well to the crisis, reducing the number of emergency calls during the strike.
