Firefighters' leaders are expected to hold a third round of pay talks with John Prescott this weekend, raising speculation that Tuesday's first strike may be suspended.
The deputy prime minister and senior TUC officials are privately urging the Fire Brigades Union to hold off industrial action while negotiations are underway.
Andy Gilchrist, the FBU general secretary armed with a 9 to 1 vote for walkouts in pursuit of £30,000 a year, will report to his union's executive today on progress in the talks. He said yesterday's meeting with Mr Prescott was "very civil, very constructive", but added that the strike was still on - while leaving the door open to further talks.
"I'm one of those who has always said there is a lot of time before we go on strike on Tuesday," said Mr Gilchrist.
Mr Prescott, who has Downing Street's authority to seek a negotiated settlement to avoid an industrial and political crisis, told the FBU leader he was available all weekend. "They were constructive talks. Everyone will be very happy if he wants to come back," said a government spokeswoman.
The FBU has repeatedly called for a negotiated deal, and has boycotted a government appointed review chaired by Sir George Bain due to report in mid December.
Now it is in early negotiations, figures in the TUC argue that action should be put on ice to give the talks a chance.
Firefighters' leaders believe, however, that it is the threat of walkouts which has got the government to the negotiating table. Mr Prescott opened discussions after an attempt to drive a wedge between the FBU and TUC largely failed, Downing Street spin doctors at one stage saying Mr Blair wanted to crush FBU "Scargillism", just hours before he adopted a conciliatory line at prime minister's questions.
Preparations continued yesterday in the event that the first 48-hour stoppage, from 9am Tuesday, goes ahead.
The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir John Stevens, is to warn tomorrow that 400 officers a day in London will be taken off normal duties to assist the makeshift military force.
Toast-making is to be banned in hospitals in Newcastle upon Tyne during strikes to avoid setting off smoke alarms. Education authorities in Renfrewshire, Scotland, are to turn off bunsen burners in school labs and redeploy 50 gardeners to fireguard buildings.
The army's limitation as replacement firefighters was underlined yesterday when a military convoy, including two green goddesses, was in a crash on the M25. Hertfordshire firefighters were called to free a soldier trapped in the cab of a truck because green goddesses were unable to help.
Mr Prescott believes the Bain report holds the key to resolving the dispute and has tried to persuade the FBU to cooperate in the review of pay, working conditions and structure of the fire service.
FBU officials are understood to privately accept it may yet play a role in resolving the dispute, but remain committed to negotiating a deal.
The FBU's timetable was clear from April yet Mr Prescott delayed establishing the inquiry until early September. Ministers also effectively blocked a proposed compromise in July of 16%, raising earnings to £25,000 a year, by warning fire authorities that central government would refuse to fund the increase.
In a further twist to the dispute Masons, a legal firm, warned that it believed striking firefighters could be prosecuted as terrorists under the Terrorism Act.
