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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Airport staff to vote on strike | Airport staff to vote on strike |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of workers at British airports including Gatwick and Heathrow are to vote on strike action in the next few weeks. | Thousands of workers at British airports including Gatwick and Heathrow are to vote on strike action in the next few weeks. |
| BAA staff are to be balloted on strike action in protest at a plan to stop new staff joining the final salary scheme from 1 December. | BAA staff are to be balloted on strike action in protest at a plan to stop new staff joining the final salary scheme from 1 December. |
| A strike could see BAA airports closed from 27 December, leading to chaos during the New Year travel period. | A strike could see BAA airports closed from 27 December, leading to chaos during the New Year travel period. |
| The ballot will take place from 29 November. | The ballot will take place from 29 November. |
| "It is clear that the pension scheme is financially sound and should be left alone," said union officer Brendan Gold. | "It is clear that the pension scheme is financially sound and should be left alone," said union officer Brendan Gold. |
| Contingency plan | |
| A spokesman for BAA said that the company "regrets the union's threat of industrial action, particularly in the Christmas period. | |
| This [the strike] is entirely a matter for the BAA Ryanair "We believe the way to resolve this is through negotiation," he said. | |
| Low-cost airline Easyjet said it would be speaking to BAA "to ensure contingency measures are in place to ensure our operations are not affected in the event this goes ahead". | |
| Budget airline Ryanair expects BAA to have "an appropriate contingency plan in place" in the event of a strike. | |
| "This [the strike] is entirely a matter for the BAA," a Ryanair spokesman added. | |
| Closure threat | |
| Unite union represents 5,000 airport workers employed by British Airports Authority. | Unite union represents 5,000 airport workers employed by British Airports Authority. |
| They include firefighters, security, maintenance and administration staff at airports from Aberdeen to Southampton, including some of the UK's busiest - Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick. | They include firefighters, security, maintenance and administration staff at airports from Aberdeen to Southampton, including some of the UK's busiest - Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick. |
| Virtually all firefighters at BAA airports are union members, the union said. | Virtually all firefighters at BAA airports are union members, the union said. |
| A strike by firefighters could see airports close, the union said. | A strike by firefighters could see airports close, the union said. |