Good News…Airport Strikes Suspended !!!

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 25-11-02 AT 01:31 AM (GMT)]LONDON (Reuters) – The Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) says it is suspending four days of threatened strikes at the country’s major airports, raising hopes that travel chaos over Christmas can be averted.

The union said on Sunday it was studying a “significantly improved” pay offer from airport operator BAA.

But union Amicus, whose smaller membership at BAA’s airports includes firemen and engineers, could not immediately confirm it was lifting the threat of action. An Amicus spokesman said the union would decide early on Monday.

The latest sign of labour unrest in Britain, already hit by an eight-day firefighters’ stoppage, had threatened to disrupt travel plans for up to 400,000 passengers a day.

The TGWU said on Sunday it was suspending strikes planned for November 28, December 2, 10 and 15 to allow its members to vote on the new pay offer. Another day of action planned for December 23 is still on.

“In order to provide a pause for peace and to protect the union’s legal position, the union is suspending the first four days of strike action at BAA’s seven airports,” TGWU national secretary for air transport Tim Lyle said.

“The final offer made by BAA represents a significant improvement,” he said. “It is only right and proper that the membership is given the right to vote on the total package.”

SEVEN PERCENT RISE

BAA welcomed the decision to suspend the first four days of strikes.

“The new deal offers an average increase of seven percent for the basic salary over two years, up from 6.3 percent,” BAA spokeswoman Caroline Corfield told Reuters.

“This would be an average increase of 1,400 pounds which will be paid in full by April 2003”.

An Amicus spokesman was more sceptical of the offer, and warned that his union could still bring the airports to a halt it they went ahead with the strikes on their own.

“I’m not sure the details are as good for us as they are for the TGWU,” he said.

About 2,000 workers are pushing for a bigger pay rise from airport operator BAA Plc, whose operations include London’s Heathrow, the world’s busiest international hub, Gatwick and Stansted, a key base for low-cost airlines.

There are about 3,000 take-offs and landings a day at the seven airports. A strike could cancel all flights or restrict the size and type of aircraft able to use the airports, depending on whether skeleton fire crews can be assembled.

TGWU members voted earlier this month by a margin of two to one to strike after the firefighters, security guards and terminal support staff rejected an earlier offer.

The two unions’ members have asked for more to account for the increased security checks and heavier workloads since security was tightened in the wake of the hijacked plane attacks in the United States on September 11 last year.

–Additional reporting by Dominic Evans.