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| Talks aim to halt airport strikes | |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| Talks aimed at averting January strikes by staff at some of Britain's busiest airports are due to take place later. | |
| The Unite union has called strikes for 7-8, 14-15 and 17-19 January, with firefighters and security staff among those set to walk out. | |
| Airport operator BAA will meet union leaders after previous talks collapsed. | Airport operator BAA will meet union leaders after previous talks collapsed. |
| The strikes, over a proposed change to pension rights, are planned at all of BAA's seven UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Edinburgh. | The strikes, over a proposed change to pension rights, are planned at all of BAA's seven UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Edinburgh. |
| The company, which also operates Stansted, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton airports, has said 1.3 million passengers will be affected if the strikes go ahead. | |
| Unite is planning 24-hour strikes starting at 0600 GMT on 7 and 14 January and a 48-hour strike from 0600 GMT on 17 January. | |
| Pension dispute | Pension dispute |
| Monday's fresh talks at an undisclosed location will be held with leaders of Unite and the Public and Commercial Services Union. | |
| Unite represents about 6,000 airport workers employed by BAA, including firefighters and security staff, without whom the airports cannot operate. | |
| Its members also include maintenance and clerical staff. | |
| The planned industrial action is in protest at the closure of BAA's final salary pension scheme to new workers. | The planned industrial action is in protest at the closure of BAA's final salary pension scheme to new workers. |
| Last week both sides spent several hours in talks that ended without a breakthrough. | |
| The trade unions have insisted the decision to close the final salary pension scheme must be reversed before the industrial action can be called off and negotiations on the future of the scheme are held. | |
| Brendan Gold, Unite national aviation officer, will lead the union negotiators at Monday's talks. | Brendan Gold, Unite national aviation officer, will lead the union negotiators at Monday's talks. |
| Baggage rule change | Baggage rule change |
| He said the unions avoided taking industrial action over the Christmas holiday period but stressed that workers were determined to secure the future of the pension scheme for all members. | He said the unions avoided taking industrial action over the Christmas holiday period but stressed that workers were determined to secure the future of the pension scheme for all members. |
| The union said 1,946 members had voted to strike, with 1,108 voting against direct action. | The union said 1,946 members had voted to strike, with 1,108 voting against direct action. |
| 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. |