MY immediate reaction to the firefighters' strike is that they are asking too much.

We all want better public services. We want better hospitals, better schools, better transport, and better crime prevention.

The government has promised to put significantly more money into public services. But if all this extra money goes on pay rises then the level of services will simply stay the same. If everyone in the public sector went for a 30 per cent rise then there would be no money left over for better services.

Perhaps the firefighters have parity on their side? If their pay has fallen behind that of other public service workers perhaps there does have to be a period catching up. The trouble is that the pay of public sector workers seems to be all over the place. There is no recognisable pattern. Would there not be a case for saying that there should be equal pay for all of them?

One of the government's arguments in this dispute is that there are hundreds of applicants for firefighters' jobs. What they seem to be saying is that because the service is popular no significant rise is justifiable. The money could be better spent on giving rises to nurses where there is a shortage of applicants. But I don't sit easy with this market approach to wages. Justice and equity should come before market forces.

In all my confusion over this present strike one thing is clear for me. The firefighters do have the right to strike. If this right were ever withdrawn in law then it would be a sad day for this country.

I rather suspect that my own bafflement over this strike is shared by many, I don't detect the British public taking up strong positions on either side. On the one hand we all know that there are thousands of workers who earn far less than the firefighters and who would be overjoyed to get their level of remuneration. On the other hand we know that there are many people who earn far more than the firefighters who do less hours and take less risks.

It seems like a feeble response to say that we should all pray for justice to prevail. But, in my confusion, that is all I can do in the present situation. May God bring wisdom to both sides so that a speedy negotiated settlement can be arrived at.

Michael Williams, Vicar of Bolton Parish Church