Vic govt 'demonising' fireys: union

Legal action is likely after pay talks again broke down between the state government and Victorian firefighters.

Negotiations were abandoned in the Fair Work Commission on Wednesday, with Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett describing the union's claims as "unrealistic" and "excessive".

"The talks have broken down because of the size of the claims and we are in the commission trying to get this resolved as soon as possible," Ms Garrett said in a statement to AAP on Thursday.

But United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall lashed out at the government, saying it had set out to "demonise firefighters with artificial pay claims".

"First of all the minister says we want a 30 per cent increase, then the premier said it was 50 per cent and today it's 59 per cent," he told AAP.

"The truth will come out, the clauses were agreed and firefighters will be vindicated."

He said the government reneged on agreed clauses that covered safe staffing, systems of work and the roll out of an extra 450 firefighters.

The 11-month pay dispute could come to the head soon, with Mr Marshall saying he will subpoena government ministers and officials to get to the truth.

He laughed at claims the union had demanded a 50 per cent pay deal saying they were yet to discuss a figure after deciding to focus on safety issues before anything else.