Mr Orlando
01-01-2008, 01:39 AM
The first of a series of new year strikes by workers at seven airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick, has been called off following a breakthrough in peace talks over a row about pensions.
London's airports face strikesThousands of firefighters, security and clerical workers were due to walk out for 24 hours next Monday.
It was to have been the first of three stoppages in protest at a decision by BAA to close its final salary pension scheme to new workers.
Following several hours of negotiations, officials from the Unite union said an agreement had been reached in principle to hold "proper consultations" over the future of the pension scheme before any changes are made.
The agreement will be discussed by union representatives on Thursday but in the meantime next Monday's strike has been called off.
Further strikes planned for January 14 and January 17/18 will be called off if the deal is accepted by the union representatives on Thursday.
A union spokesman said: "The company has agreed there will be proper discussions before any decision is reached on the future of the pension scheme."
The breakthrough came after almost eight hours of talks at a secret location between leaders of Unite and the Public and Commercial Services union and officials from BAA.
It will come as a relief to hundreds of thousands of travellers.
Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports would have been closed by next week's walkout.
London's airports face strikesThousands of firefighters, security and clerical workers were due to walk out for 24 hours next Monday.
It was to have been the first of three stoppages in protest at a decision by BAA to close its final salary pension scheme to new workers.
Following several hours of negotiations, officials from the Unite union said an agreement had been reached in principle to hold "proper consultations" over the future of the pension scheme before any changes are made.
The agreement will be discussed by union representatives on Thursday but in the meantime next Monday's strike has been called off.
Further strikes planned for January 14 and January 17/18 will be called off if the deal is accepted by the union representatives on Thursday.
A union spokesman said: "The company has agreed there will be proper discussions before any decision is reached on the future of the pension scheme."
The breakthrough came after almost eight hours of talks at a secret location between leaders of Unite and the Public and Commercial Services union and officials from BAA.
It will come as a relief to hundreds of thousands of travellers.
Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports would have been closed by next week's walkout.