Bully-boy fire service bosses faced court action over their sacking of a trade union activist as 30,000 firefighters in England walked out on strike yesterday in defence of their pensions and jobs.

Thousands of strikers and supporters staged a march and rally in Aylesbury in support of sacked firefighter Ricky Matthews as pickets went into action across the country.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is taking legal action against Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Authority, which the union says has a reputation for its aggressive and bullying approach to employees, especially union activists.

After a four-day strike by firefighters at the start of November, the Bucks fire authority bosses sacked highly respected FBU activist Mr Matthews, a member of the union’s national executive council.

The authority claimed the FBU “incorrectly” called strike action — but selected only Mr Matthews for dismissal.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: “More than 30,000 firefighters in England took strike action on those days, yet only one was summarily dismissed.

“This is a pure victimisation of Ricky Matthews by a fire authority which seems to have an agenda to attack union officials and members.”

Meanwhile the strike action was the firefighters’ 48th in a three-year dispute about pensions, on which the government stubbornly refuses to negotiate.

The government is demanding firefighters maintain front-line fitness until the age of 60, with any firefighter unable to pass a strict fitness test facing the sack and substantial pension reduction.

The government has also upped firefighters’ contributions to their pensions. Firefighters now pay £4,000 a year towards their pensions out of a pre-tax salary of £29,000.

In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland regional governments are negotiating towards a settlement of the pensions issue. Only in England, where the Tories and Lib Dems hold full sway, has the dispute led to such confrontation.

Mr Wrack said: “We are not going to give up or go away. Firefighters will fight for however long it takes to secure a fair pensions deal.

“We have won the argument on this issue for the past three years. We face a government which refuses to negotiate or even to listen to reason. Therefore this fight will carry on.”

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Ministers seem determined to force through these harsh and unfair changes that even their own advice suggests are wrong and unworkable.

“These would either see firefighters suffering huge health and safety challenges as they get older and less fit, or experiencing massive cuts to their pensions if they feel unable to stay in the service as their retirement approaches.”