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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Airport strike talks set to begin | Airport strike talks set to begin |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| Talks aimed at averting strike action that would disrupt Britain's busiest airports are set to begin on Thursday. | Talks aimed at averting strike action that would disrupt Britain's busiest airports are set to begin on Thursday. |
| The Unite union has called 24-hour strikes starting at 0600 GMT on 7 and 14 January and a 48-hour strike starting at 0600 GMT on 17 January. | The Unite union has called 24-hour strikes starting at 0600 GMT on 7 and 14 January and a 48-hour strike starting at 0600 GMT on 17 January. |
| Workers voted to strike after the Spanish owners of the British Airports Authority (BAA) closed its final salary pension scheme to new entrants. | Workers voted to strike after the Spanish owners of the British Airports Authority (BAA) closed its final salary pension scheme to new entrants. |
| Strikes would affect seven UK airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick. | Strikes would affect seven UK airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick. |
| BAA, which also operates Stansted, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton airports, said 1.3 million passengers would be affected if the strikes went ahead. | |
| 'Unnecessary' | 'Unnecessary' |
| The union has said the pension decision must be reversed and blamed the Spanish owners for the problems. | The union has said the pension decision must be reversed and blamed the Spanish owners for the problems. |
| Previously, Unite's national aviation officer Brendan Gold said: "It is not a UK management decision but a decision taken in Spain that I do not believe has the backing of the UK management team." | Previously, Unite's national aviation officer Brendan Gold said: "It is not a UK management decision but a decision taken in Spain that I do not believe has the backing of the UK management team." |
| BAA has said existing employees would not be affected and described strike action as unnecessary. | BAA has said existing employees would not be affected and described strike action as unnecessary. |
| Unite represents about 6,000 airport workers employed by BAA, including firefighters and security staff, without whom the airports cannot operate. | Unite represents about 6,000 airport workers employed by BAA, including firefighters and security staff, without whom the airports cannot operate. |
| The date of the first strike, 7 January, is the day when rules on the amount of permitted carry-on baggage are due to change, which was already expected to cause some confusion in airports. | The date of the first strike, 7 January, is the day when rules on the amount of permitted carry-on baggage are due to change, which was already expected to cause some confusion in airports. |
| Passengers will be allowed two items of carry-on baggage but only if they are at an airport that has bought a new type of 3D scanner. | Passengers will be allowed two items of carry-on baggage but only if they are at an airport that has bought a new type of 3D scanner. |
| Cabin crew at Virgin Atlantic recently announced they would be calling two 48-hour strikes in January in a dispute over pay. | Cabin crew at Virgin Atlantic recently announced they would be calling two 48-hour strikes in January in a dispute over pay. |