"UK airport chaos as strike date set"

Wednesday, December 8, 2004

Airport chaos as strike date set
United Kingdom - The Birmingham Post & Mail


Birmingham International Airport is set to be plunged into chaos over
Christmas after unions yesterday announced an indefinite strike would begin
next week.

Officials said the walkout by 180 staff, including firefighters, embroiled
in a dispute over pensions would begin next Friday and could last weeks.

Without firefighting cover, the airport would be forced to shut down and 300
flights cancelled each day - if the strike goes ahead.

The action follows BIA's decision to close its finalsalary scheme to new
members. Discussions between management and unions broke down yesterday and
will resume tomorrow in a lastditch attempt to reach a compromise.

Members of the Amicus union said they would walk out next Friday and
continue striking until the dispute was resolved.

Peter Coulson, regional officer for Amicus, said: 'We are meeting with the
employers again on Thursday and still hope we can reach an agreement to
avoid a shutdown so close to Christmas.

'If those talks fail, however, our members will be striking on the December
17 to defend their pension rights.

'From midnight next Thursday, the strike will commence and will continue
until this matter is resolved.

'It could be one week, it could be two. We are quite aware of the disruption
it will cause to passengers. I have always said it is not an ideal time, but
it hasn't been fabricated.'

The workers voted last week to strike over plans to close their final-salary
pension scheme to new members and replace it with what they said was an
'inferior' scheme.

Amicus claims that, for the past two years, negotiations with management
over the proposed changes have failed.

In talks yesterday, the airport put forward a compromise, allowing new
members to join after five years.

But this was rejected by the union, which would like the period to be
reduced to one year.

Mr Coulson said: 'The company is now receptive not to close the scheme,
proposing a qualifying period of five years and we didn't agree with that.

'We believe that is far too long, especially in the fire service where the
retiring age is 55 and the average age of joining is 25.

'We are suggesting one year, but it was opposed to that.

'While we continue to talk we have to be optimistic, but today there was no
satisfactory conclusion and I just hope, so close to Christmas, we can reach
an agreement.'

BIA said discussions would continue with unions to avert proposed industrial
action.

The airport's managing director Richard Heard said: 'We will do all that we
can to make sure that passengers are not inconvenienced. It is disappointing
that we have been unable yet to secure a breakthrough.

'The Airport Company is determined to find a solution that is acceptable to
all parties, and which safeguards our employees' pensions.'

Amicus said 76 per cent of ground and security staff and 100 per cent of
firefighters belonging to the trade union had backed industrial action.
Under Civil Aviation Authority rules, the airport cannot operate without
fire cover.


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