LONDON firefighters have voted overwhelmingly in favour of new shift patterns to prevent a bitter dispute with bosses stretching into the new year.

Eighty-four per cent of firefighters voted for ten-and-a-half hour day shifts and 13-and-a-half hour night shifts, which should come into effect on January 13.

This was the compromise fleshed out between London Fire Brigade and the Fire Brigade Union, at specially convened mediation meetings last month.

The union had already called two strikes during the autumn, angered by Commissioner Ron Dobson's threat to terminate all firefighter contracts and force through new ones with day and night shifts lasting 12 hours each.

The two sides became locked in a war of words, with Brian Coleman, chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, reportedly labeling the union a “thoroughly unpleasant and nasty lot”.

Mr Coleman today welcomed the result of the ballot and called for further strike action to be officially abandoned. He went on to argue that the ballot result showed the strikes were “completely unnecessary and should never have happened in the first place”.

But Ian Leahair, union executive member for London, said it was fire chiefs who had driven firefighters down the avenue of industrial action.

He said: “We’re pleased, of course, that a sensible compromise has been achieved. This was always our objective.

“I wish it could have been achieved without the foolishly dramatic threat to sack all London firefighters.”

Mr Leahair said the union now wants to see outstanding issues resolved, including disciplinary charges brought in relation to incidents that happened during the strikes being dropped.

The fire brigade has also not yet returned 27 fire engines which were taken away by private firm AssetCo until after the dispute was resolved, including one usually based at Edmonton Fire Station.

This move drew criticism from the fire union and Labour politicians, and Mr Leahair called for the engines to be swiftly returned in time for Christmas.

The union's London committee is expected to meet tomorrow to discuss the outcome of the ballot and what actions it will take next.