Firefighters in Essex are set to return to work at 6pm at the end of a three-day strike.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in the county walked out at 9am on Wednesday in a dispute over shift changes at the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) control room and what they claim are proposed frontline job cuts in the future.
Those taking part in industrial action held a rally this afternoon at the ECFRS headquarters in Kelvedon, home to the new control room which became operational at the beginning of the strike, as part of their protest about changes there.
ECFRS has had in force resiliance arrangements through-out the strike with working crews responding to 999 calls as normal.
The service denies having any firm proposals to cut firefighter numbers and says control room shift changes were agreed with staff as per their terms and conditions of contract.
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